SACK  AND  T)T:STKrCTI()N 

OF    THE 

CrT  i)¥  ('OLI  VBIA.  S.  C. 

T(»    WHICH     IS    ADDED 

A  LIST  (IF  THE  FHOPHHTV  DESTROYED. 

()!i!<,  INAI.lv  published  IX  THE 

\  ^' 

;          (U)  L  r  M  H  I  A       1)  A  1  L  y       F  H  (E  NIX. 

COLUMBIA,    S.   C.  : 

roWEK     PBESS     OF     DAILY     PHCEIJIX. 

1865. 

PERKINS  LIBRARY 

Uuke   University 


SACK  AND  DESTKUCTION 


OP    THE 


CITY  OF  COLUMBIA.  S.  C. 


TO    WHICH     IS    ADDED 


A  LIST  OF  THE  PROPERTY  DESTROYED. 


COLUMBIA,    S.  C.  : 

POWER     PRESS     OF     DAILY     PHCENIX, 

1865. 


HOME,    SWEET    HOME. 

A  correspondeut  of  the  Augusta  Constitntionalist  states  that  a  youug  lady, 
whose  house  waH  destroyed  and  burned  by  Sherman's  army  while  at 
Columbia,  a  day  or  two  after  the  conflagi-atiou,  visited  the  ruins,  in  hopes 
of  finding  some  little  relic  to  remind  her  of  the  trials  through  which  she 
had  ]iassed.  She  searched  in  vain,  until  her  eye  fell  on  a  small  piece  of 
paper,  which  she  picked  up.  It  proved  to  bo  a  remnant  of  John  Howard 
Payne's  .song  of  "Home,  Sweet  Home,"  and  the  only  words  that  were  left 
iintouched  by  the  flames,  were  : 

■' THERE  IS  NO   PL.\rE  LIKE    HOME." 

Not  one  little  relic — not  a  souvenir  left ! 
Of  all  that  she  lov'd  by  the  mad  flames  bereft ! 
The  ruins,  all  blackoii'd,  loom  up  on  the  sky, 
And  the  South  wind  sings  softly  their  sad  lullaby. 

She  looks  here,  she  looks  there,  for  one  little  thing  ; 
A  letter,  a  trinket,  a  libband  or  ring  ; 
Perchance  there  may  be  'mid  the  rubbi.sh  and  dust, 
The  miniature  features  of  him  she  loved  first. 

No,  nothing  I  the  flames,  in  their  savage  career, 
H^ve  swallow'd  up  all  that  her  heart  holds  most  dear  ; 
'  Of'her  Once  happy  home  not  a  vestige  is  seen. 
The  still  wind  nov/  moans  through  the  crimpt  evergi-eeu. 

A  slip  of  white  paper  lay  trembling  alone 
Amid  the  charr'd  timber  and  smoke-blacken'd  stone  ; 
Like  a  .snow-flake  on  Hecla,  it  shone  in  the  light, 
Or  a  peaii  that  was  set  in  the  dark  brow  of  night. 

The  lady  took  up  the  lano  Slri^  fi'om  the  ground, 
And  gazing  upon  its  white  surface  she  found 
These  six  little  words,  (as  if  traced  by  some  gnome 
To  mock  her  deep  grief,)  ''There  is  no  place  like  home.'" 

Aye,  sing  of  sweet  home,  'mid  its  ashes  and  smoke, 
'Twas  bless'd  till  the  spoiler  its  Availiugs  awoke  ; 
'Twas  happy  till  Northmen,  with  wild  fiendish  hate. 
Gave  towns  to  the  flames  and  made  fields  desolate. 

J.  H.  H. 


^■1 


DESTRUCTIOi^  OF  OOLdMBlA. 


CHAPTER  I. 


I  N  T  K  O  D  U  C  T  I  O  N 


It  has  pleased  God,  in  that  Providence  Avhich  is  so  iuserutable  to  man, 
to  visit  our  beautiful  city  -with  the  most  cruel  fate  which  can  ever  befall 
S,tates  or,  cities.  He  has  pe;mitted  an  invading  army  to  penetrate  our 
country  almost  Avithont  impediment ;  to  rob  and  ravage  our  dwellings, 
and  to  commit  throe-fifths  of  our  city  to  the  flumes.  Eighty-four  squares, 
out  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  (?)  which  the  city  contains,  have  been 
destroyed,  with  scarcely  the  exception  of  a  single  house.  The  ancient 
capitol  building  of  the  State — that  venerable  structure,  which,  for  seventy 
years,  has  echoed  with,  the  eloquence  and  wisdom  of  the  most  famous 
statesmen — is  laid  in  ashes  ;  six  temples  of  the  Most  High  God  have  shared 
the  same  fate  ;  eleven  banking  establishments  ;  the  schools  of  learning, 
the  shops  of  art  and  trade,  of  invention  and  manufacture  ;  shrines  equally 
of  religion,  benevolence  and  industry  ;  are  all  btiried  together,  in  one 
cpngregated  ruin.  Humiliation  sijreads  her  ashes  over  our  homes  and 
.  garments,  and  the  universal  wreck  exhibits  only  one  coinmon  aspect  of 
despair.     It  is  for  us,  as  succinctly  but  as  fully  as  possible,  and  in  the 

.     simplest  language,   to  endeavor   to  make   the  melancholy  record  of  our 

.  ■  wretchedness  as  complete  as  i^ossible. 


DESTKUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 


CHAPTER  n. 

KAT.VL  BLIXDEK — REMOVAL  OF  OEXEKAL.  JOHN8TOK  FBOM  THE  COMMAND  OF  THE 
CONFEDERATE  ARMY. 

When,  by  a  crime,  no  le.ss  than  blunder,  GeneralJohnston  was  removed 
from  the  command  of  the  Confederate  armies  in  Georgia,  which  he  had 
conducted  with  such  .signal  ability,  there  were  not  a  few  of  our  citizens 
who  felt  the  imjjending  danger,  and  trembled  at  the  disastrous  conse- 
quences which  they  partly  foresaw.  The  removal  of  a  General  so  fully  in 
the  confidence  of  his  troops,  who  had  so  long  bafiied  the  conquests,  if  he 
could  not  arrest  the  march,  of  the  opposing  army,  was  of  itself  a  proceed- 
ing to  startle  the  thoughtful  mind.  General  Sherman  declared  his  satis- 
faction at  the  event,  and  on  rejieated  occasions  since  has  exjiresscd  himself 
to  the  same  effect.  He  was  emboldened  by  the  change,  and  almost  in- 
stantly after,  his  successes  became  rapid  and  of  the  most  decided  character. 

General  Johnston  was  by  nature,  no  less  than  training  and  education, 
the  very  best  of  the  Confederate  generals  to  be  opi)osed  to  General  Sher- 
man. To  the  norvo-sanguinc  temperament,  eager  and  impetuous,  of  the 
latter,  he  opposed  a  moral  and  physical  nature — calm,  sedate,  circumspect ; 
cool,  vigilant  and  wary — always  i:)atient  and  watchful  of  his  moment — 
never  rash  or  precipitate,  but  ever  firm  and  decisive — his  resources  all 
regulated  by  a  self-possessed  will,  and  a  mind  in  full  possession  of  that 
military  coup  (V veil  y^'hich,  grasping  the  remotest  relations  of  the  field,  is, 
probably,  the  very  first  essential  to  a  general  having  the  control  of  a  large 
and  various  army. 

The  error  whicli  t(^ok  Hood  into  the  ccjlder  regions  of  Tennessee,  at  the 
beginning  of  winter,  was  one  Avhich  the  Yankee  general  was  slow  to  imi- 
tate, esijecially  as,  in  «o  moving.  Hood  necessarily  left  all  the  doors  mde 
open  which  conducted  to  the  seaboard.  It  required  no  great  effort  of 
genius  to  promjit  the  former  to  take  the  pathways  which  were  thus  laid 
open  to  him.  Even  had  he  not  already  conceived  the  jiropriety  of  forcing 
his  way  to  the  Atlantic  coast,  and  to  a  junction  with  his  shipping,  the 
policy  of  then  doing  so  would  have  been  forced  upon  him  l)y  the  proceed- 
ing of  his  rival,  and  by  the  patent  fact  that  there  were  no  impediments  to 
such  a  i:)r<jgress.     We  had  neither  army  nor  general  ready  to  imijede  liis 


DESTKUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  5 

march.  It  suggested  itself.  The  facility  of  such  a  progi-eas  was  cleax 
enough,  and,  with  that  quickness  of  decision  which  distinguishes  the  tem- 
perament of  Sherman,  he  at  once  nashcd  into  the  open  pathway-. 

The  hasty  levies  of  regular  trooiis,  collected  by  Hardee,  and  the  clans  of 
scattered  militia,  gathered  with  gi-eat  difficulty  and  untraiined  to  service, 
were  rather  calculated  to  provoke  his  enterprise  than  to  impede  his  march, 
and,  laying  waste  as  he  went,  after  a  series  of  small  and  unimportant 
skirmishes,  he  made  his  way  to  the  coast,  made  himself  master  of  Savannah, 
and,  from  the  banks  of  that  river,  beheld,  opened  before  liim,  all  the 
avenues  into  and  tlirough  South  Carolina.  It  is  understood  that  Hardee 
had  in  hand,  to  ojipose  this  progi-ess,  something  less  than  ten  thousand 
men,  while  the  force  of  Sherman  was,  in  round  numbers,  something  like 
fifty  thousand,  of  which  thirty-three  thousand  consisted  of  infantry — the 
rest  of  artUleiy  and  cavalry. 


CHAPTER  in. 

TERRIBIiE  FOREBODINGS — SHERMAn's   MARCH   THROUGH   GEORGIA. 

The  destruction  of  Atlanta,  the  pillaging  and  burning  of  other  towns  of 
Georgia,  and  the  subsequent  devastation  .along  the  march  of  the  Federal 
army  through  Georgia,  gave  sufficient  earnest  of  the  treatment  to  be  an- 
ticipated by  South  Carolina,  should  the  same  commander  be  permitted  to 
make  a  like  iirogress  in  our  State.  The  Northern  i^rt^ss  furnished  him 
the  c;v' r/'' 7?<i?;*?T  to  be  sounded  when  he  should  cross  our  borders,  "Van 
ric/is  .'"■ — wo  to  the  conquered  ! — in  the  case  of  a  people  who  had  first 
raised  the  banner  of  secession.  "  The  howl  of  delight,"  (such  was  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Northern  press,)  sent  up  by  Sherman's  legions,  when  they 
looked  across  the  Savannah  to  the  shores  of  Carolina,  was  the  siu*e  fore- 
runner of  the  terrible  fate  which  threatened  our  people  should  tlie  soldiers 
be  once  let  loose  upon  our  lands.  Our  people  felt  all  the  danger.  They 
felt  that  it  required  the  first  abilities,  the  most  strenuous  exertions,  the 
most  prompt  and  efficient  reinforcements,  to  prevent  the  threatening 
catastrophe. 

Hardee,  though  of  acknowledged  abiHty,  and  considered  able  as  the 
leader  of  a  corps,  was  not  the  man  to  grasj)  the  business  of  a  large  army. 
All  eyes  looked  to  General  Johnston  as  the  one  man,  next  to  Lee,  to 
whom   the   duty  sliould   be  <!onfided  and  the  trust.     It   was   confidently 


6  DESTBUOTION  XiF  €01.1;A1BIA. 

hoped  ftiul  believed  that  he  wuuld  be  roHtorod  to  tlie  couiuiaud,  nud  that 
ftdeqtiat*'  reiuforoemoiitHS  would  be  furnished.  At  nil  events,  uo  cue  doubted, 
that,  with  adoqufttf-  Kupj^lies  of  men  and  material,  Johnston  would  most 
effectually  arrest  the  farther  progi-uss  of  Sherman's  aimy. 

Api)Ii  eat  ions  of  the  most  urgent  entreaty  were  addressed  by  our  delegates 
and  leading  men  in  the  Confederate  Congress  to  President  Davis,  urging 
these  objeets.  But  he  deehnod  to  restore  the  eommaniler  whom  he  hud  so 
greatly  wronged,  and,  in  resjieet  to  reinforcements,  these  were  too  tardily 
furnished,  and  in  too  small  number  to  avail  mueh  in  olTering  requisite 
resistanee.  The  reinfoi-eenients  did  not  make  their  appearance  in  due 
season  for  a  eoneentration  of  the  strenp^th  at  any  one  })oiut,  and  opposition 
to  Sherman,  ever>-\vhere,  eonsisted  of  little  more  than  a  series  of  small 
skimvishes,  Anthout  result  on  either  side.  No  pass  was  held  with  any 
tenaeity  ;  no  battle  fought ;  Sherman  was  allowed  to  travel  one  hundi'ed 
and  fifty  miles  of  our  State,  through  a  region  of  swamp  and  thicket,  in  no 
portion  of  which  could  a  field  be  found  adequate  to  the  display  of  ten 
thousand  men,  and  where,  under  good  j'jartisan  leaders,  the  Federals  might 
have  been  cut  off  in  separate  bodies,  their  sui)i)lies  stopped,  their  mareh 
constaiitly  embarrassed  by  hard  fighting,  and  where,  a  bloody  toll  exacted 
at  everj'  defile,  they  must  have  found  a  Thermo^jylie  at  every  five  miles  of 
their  march.  The  Confederates  had  uo  partisan  fighting,  as  in  days  of 
old.  Tbey  had  a  system,  which  insisted  upon  artUlcry  as  paramount — 
insisted  upon  arbitrary  lines  for  defence,  chosen  witliout  any  regard  to 
the  topogi'aphy  of  the  country.  "We  will  make  a  stand,"  said  tlie  Con- 
federate chiefs,  ' '  at  this  river  crossing  or  that ;  then  fall  back  to  the  next 
river,  and  so  on  to  the  last,"  Although  in  a  thousand  places  of  dense 
swamp,  narrow  defile,  and  almost  impenetrable  thicket,  between  these 
rivers,  it  would  have  been  easy  to  find  spots  where  three  hundred  men, 
under  competent  commanders,  Avho  knew  the  countiy,  might  most  effec- 
tually have  baffled  three  thousand. 


CHAPTEK  W. 

SHER3tAN'«  ENTRA^'CE  INTO    SOUTH    (lAliOMNA — DESTBUCTION    OF    1»K0PEHTY  IN 

THE  liOW  COUNTBT. 

The  march  of  the  Federals  into  our  State  waa  characterized  by  such 
scenes  of  license,  plunder  and  general  conflagration,  as  rerv  soon  showed 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBL\.  7 

that  the  threats  of  the  Northern  press,  and  of  their  soldiery, -wiere  not  to 
be  regarded  as  mere  hi-ulvmfnlmen.  Day  by  day  brought  to  the  people  of 
Columbia  tidings  of  atrocities  committed,  and  more  extended  progress. 
Daily  did  long  trains  of  fugitives  line  the  roads,  with  "wiviss  and  chilftten, 
and  horses  and  stock  and  cattle,  seeking  refuge  f^oin  the  pursuers.  Loiig 
lines  of  wagons  covered  the  highways.  Half-naked  people  cowered  from 
tlie  winter  under  bush  tents  in  the  thickets,  iinder  the  eaves  of  houses, 
under  the  railroad  sheds,  and  in  old  cars  left  them  along  the  route.  All 
these  repeated  the  same  story  of  suft'ering,  violence,  poverty  and  naked- 
ness. Habitation  after  habitation,  village  after  village — one  sending  up 
its  signal  flames  to  the  other,  i^resaging  for  it  the  same  fate — Lighted  the 
winter  and  midnight  sky  with  crimson  horrors. 

No  language  can  describe  nor  can  any  catalogue  furnish  an  adequate 
detail  of  the  wide-spi-ead  destrxictiou  of  homes  and  property.  Gl'aiftries 
were  emptied,  and  where  the  grain  was  not  canied  off,  it  was  strfewri  to 
waste  under  the  feet  of  the  cavalry  or  consigned  to  the  fire  "which  con- 
sumed the  dwelling.  The  negroes  were  robbed  equally  with  the  whites  of 
food  and  clothing.  The  roads  were  covered  with  Ijutchered  cattle,  hogs, 
mules  and  the  costliest  furniture.  Valuable  cabinets,  rich  pianos,  were 
not  only  hewn  to  pieces,  but  bottles  of  ink,  turpentine,  oil,  whatever  c'btiid 
efihce  or  desti'oy,  was  employed  to  defile  and  niin.  Horses  wete  ridden 
into  the  houses.  People  were  forced  from  their  beds,  to  pfermit  the  sfeartih 
."iter  hidden  treasures. 

The  beautiful  homesteads  of  the  parish  country,  Avith  their  •  wonderful 
tropical  gardens,  were  ruined  ;  ancient  dwellings  of  black  cypress,  ohe 
hundred  years  old,  which  had  been  l-eared  by  the  fathers  of  the  reptiblic — 
men  whose  names  were  famous  in  Revolutionary  histoiy — were  given  to 
the  torch  as  recklessl.y  as  were  the  rude  hovels  ;  choice  pictul-es  and  works 
of  art,  from  Europe,  select  and  numerous  libraries,  objects  of  i)eace  wholly, 
were  all  destroyed.  The  inhabitants,  black  no  less  than  white,' vrere  left 
to  starve,  compelled  to  feed  only  upon  the  garbage 'to' be  found  in  <he 
abandoned  camps  of  the  soldiers.  The  com  scraped  up  from  the  spots 
where  the  horses  fed,  has  been  the  only  means  of  life  left  to  tli6us*nd(^  but 
lately  in  affluence. 

iVud  thus  plundering,  and  burning,  the  troops  made  their  w&y  fhrongh 
a  portion  of  Beaufort  into  BarnweU  District,  where  they  pursued  the 
same  game.  The  villages  of  Buford's  Bridge,  of  Barnwell,  Blackville, 
Graham's,  Bamberg,  Midway,  were  more  or  less  destroyed ;  the  inhabi- 
tants everywhere  left  homeless  and  "vsithoxit  food.  The  hoirses  and  mules, 
all  cattle  and  hogs,  whenever  fit  for  service  or  for  food,  were  camed  off, 


8  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUAIBLA. 

and  the  rest  shot.     Even-  implemeut  of  the  woikman  or  the  farmer,  tools, 
plows,  hoes,  prins,  looms,  wagons,  vehicles,  was  made  to  feed  the  flames. 

From  Barnwell  to  Orangeburg  and  Lexington  was  the  next  progress, 
marked  evervAvhere  by  the  same  sweeping  destniction.  Both  of  these 
court  towns  were  partially  bunied. 


CHAPTER  y. 

DOUBTS   AND    FEARS — FUGITIVES    FBOM   THF,   IjOW    COVXTRY. 

These  tidings  duly  reached  the  peoi>k'  of  C'olnmliia,  and  might  have 
prepared  them  for  the  treatment  tliey  were  destined  to  receive.  Daily 
accessions  of  fngitives,  bringing  with  them  their  valuables  and  i^rovisions, 
made  ample  report  of  the  progress  of  the  Federal  army.  Hundreds  of 
families  had  seasonably  left  long  before,  in  auticiimtiou  of  the  danger. 
Columbia  was  naturally  held  to  bo  one  of  the  most  secure  places  of  refuge. 
It  was  never  doubted  that  this  capital  city,  which  contained  so  many  of 
the  manufactures  of  the  Confederate  (Tovernment,  the  Treasui'y,  iVc, 
would  be  defended  with  all  the  concentrated  vigor  of  which  the  Confed- 
eracy was  capable,  especially,  too,  as  iii)on  the  several  railroads  connected 
with  the  city,  the  armj-  of  Lee  and  the  safety  of  Richmond  were  absolutely 
dej^endent.  Young  women  of  family  Avere  sent  in  large  numbers  to  a  city, 
Avhere  numbers  seemed  to  jiromise  a  degree  of  security  not  to  be  hoped 
for  in  any  obscure  rural  abode.  The  city  was  accordingly  doubled  in 
population,  and  here  also  was  to  ha  found  an  accumulation  of  wealth,  in 
jjlate,  jewels,  pictures,  books,  manufactures  of  art  and  virtu,  not  to  be 
estimated — not,  j^erhaps,  to  be  iJaralleled  in  any  other  town  of  the  Con- 
federacy. In  many  instances,  the  accumulations  were  those  of  a  hundred 
years — of  successive  generations — in  the  hands  of  the  oldest  families  of  the 
South.  A  large  jiroportion  of  the  wealth  of  Charleston  had  been  stored  in 
the  capital  city,  and  the  owners  of  thesc^  treasures,  in  many  instances,  were 
unable  to  effect  any  farther  remove.  If  apprehensive  of  the  danger,  they 
could  only  fold  their  hands,  and,  hojDiug  against  hope,  pray  for  escajDe 
from  a  peril  to  which  they  could  ojipose  no  farther  vigilance  or  effort. 

Still,  the  lurking  belief  with  most  jiersons,  who  apprehended  the  aji- 
proach  of  the  Federal  army,  encouraged  the  faith  that,  as  the  city  was 
wholly  defenceless,  in  the  event  of  a  summons,  it  a\ ould  be  suireudered 


DESTEUCTION  OF  COLUMBL\.  9 

upon  the  usual  terms,  and  that  these  ■\vt)ukl  necessarily  insure  the  safety 
of  non-combatants  and  protect  their  property. 

But,  in  tinith,  there  was  no  small  portion  of  the  inhabitants  who  denied 
or  doubted,  almost  to  the  last  moment,  that  Sherman  contemplated  any 
serious  demonstration  upon  the  city.  They  assumed — and  this  idea  was 
tacitly  encouraged,  if  not  believed,  by  the  authorities,  militaiy  and  ci\'il — 
that  the  movement  on  Columbia  was  but  a  feint,  and  that  the  bulk  of  his 
army  was  preparing  for  a  descent  upon  Chai-leston.  This  also  seemed  to 
l>i'  the  opinion  in  Charleston  itself. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   FEDERAIi  AR:vIY   APPROACHIKG   COLtTVIBIA — SKIBMISHIKG — CHEATHAM   AND 
STEWART    EXPECTED. 

All  these  conjectures  were  speedily  set  at  rest,  when,  on  the  13th  Feb- 
ruary, (Monday,)  the  Federal  army  was  reported  to  have  reached  a  point 
in  Lexington  District,  some  ten  miles  above  Jeffcoat's.  On  the  lith,  their 
progress  brought  them  to  Thorn's  Creek,  the  stream  next  below  Congaree 
Creek,  and  about  twelve  miles  below  the  city.  Here  the  Confederate 
troops,  consisting  of  the  mounted  men  of  Hampton,  Wheeler,  Butler,  &c., 
made  stubborn  head  against  Sherman,  holding  him  in  check  by  constant 
skirmishing.  This  skirmishing  continiied  throughout  Wednesday,  but 
failed  to  arrest  his  i^rogi-ess  ;  and  as  the  Federal  cannon  continued  mo- 
mently to  sound  more  heavily  upon  our  ears,  we  were  but  too  certainly 
assured  of  the  hopelessness  of  the  struggle.  The  odds  of  force  against  the 
Confederates  Avere  too  vast  for  any  valor  or  generalshiiJ  to  make  head 
against  it ;  and  yet,  almost  to  this  moment,  the  hope  was  held  out  to  the 
people,  in  many  quarters,  that  the  city  could  be  saved.  It  was  asserted 
that  the  coi-ps  of  Cheatham  and  Stewart  were  making  forced  marcl^es, 
with  the  view  to  a  junction  with  the  troops  under  Beauregard,  and,  such 
was  the  spirit  of  the  Confederate  troops,  and  one  of  the  Generals  at  least, 
that  almost  at  the  moment  when  Sherman's  advance  was  entez'ing  the  town, 
Hampton's  cavaliy  was  in  order  of  battle,  and  only  waiting  the  command 
to  charge  it.  But  the  horrors  of  a  street  fight  in  a  defenceless  city,  filled 
with  women  and  childi'en,  were  jH-udently  avoided  ;  and  the  Confederate 
troops  were  drawn  off  from  the  scene  at  the  very  hour  when  the  Federals 
were  entering  upon  it.     But  Re  anticii>ate. 


10  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 


CHAPTER  ^^I. 

THE  BOMBARDMENT  OF  OOLITMBIA — THE  CITY   I'NDER   MAliTIAL   luVW — WANT  OF 
TRANSPORTATION — ROBUERIES. 

"UTiatever  hoj^es  miglit  have  boeu  cutertainod  of  tlio  ultimate  success  of 
our  defences,  they  •were  all  dissipated,  when,  l)y  daylight,  on  the  16tb, 
(Thursday,)  the  Confederate  troops  re-entered  the  city,  burning  the  several 
bridges  over  the  Congaree,  the  Broad  and  Saluda  Rivers.  They  were 
quartered  throiigh  the  day  about  the  streets,  and  along  their  several 
bivouacs  they  dug  slight  excavations  in  the  earth,  as  for  rifle  pits  and  for 
l^rotection  from  the  .shells,  which  foil  fiust  and  thick  about  the  town.  The 
shelling  commenced  the  CTcning  before,  and  continued  throughout  the 
night  and  the  next  day.  No  siimmons  for  surrender  had  been  made  ;  no 
warning  of  any  kind  was  given.  New  batteries  were  in  rapid  progress  of 
erection  on  the  West  side  of  the  Congaree,  the  more  effectually  to  press 
the  work  of  destruction.  The  damage  was  comparatively  slight.  The  new 
capitol  building  was  .struck  five  times,  but  .suffered  little  or  no  injury. 
Numerous  .shells  fell  into  the  inhabited  portions  of  the  town,  yet  wo  hear 
of  only  two  persons  killed — one  on  the  ho.spital  square,  and  another  near 
the  South  Carolina  Railroad  Depot.  The  venerable  Mr.  S.  J.  Wagner, 
from  Charleston,  an  aged  citizen  of  near  eighty,  narrowly  escaped  with 
life,  a  shell  bursting  at  his  feet.  His  face  was  excoriated  by  the  fragments, 
and  for  awhile  his  cj-e-Eight  was  lost ;  but  avc  are  hai)py  to  state  that  the 
liurts  were  slight,  and  he  is  now  as  well  as  ever. 

On  Wednesday,  the  15th,  the  city  was  placed  under  martial  law,  and  the 
authority  confided  to  General  E.  M.  Law,  assisted  by  Mayor  Goodwyu  and 
Captains  W.  B.  Stanley  and  John  McKenzie.  With  characteristic  energy, 
this  officer  executed  his  trusts,  and  Avas  emi^loyed  day  and  night  in  the 
maintenance  of  order.  This,  with  some  few  exceptions,  was  surprisingly 
maintained.  There  was  some  riotous  conduct  after  night.  Some  highway 
robberies  were  committed,  and  several  stores  broken  open  and  robbed. 
But,  beyond  these,  there  were  but  few  instances  of  crime  and  inisubordina- 
tion. 

Terrible,  meanwhile,  was  the  press,  the  shock,  the  rush,  the  hun-y,  the 
universal  confusion— such  as  might  naturally  be  looked  for,  in  tlie  circum- 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  11 

stances  of  a  city  from  which  thouaauds  were  preparing  to  fly,  without 
ikevious  preiiarations  for  flight — burdened  with  pale  and  trembling  women, 
their  children  and  portable  chattels — trunks  and  jewels,  family  Bibles  and 
tlie  lures f am  iliare!:.  The  railroad  depot  for  Charlotte  was  crowded  with 
anxious  waiters  upon  the  train — mth  a  wilderness  of  luggage — miilions, 
perhaps,  in  value — much  of  which  was  left  finally  and  lost.  Throughout 
Tuesday.  Wednesday  and  Thursday,  these  scenes  of  struggle  were  iu 
constant  performance.  The  citizens  fared  badly.  The  Governments  of 
the  State  and  of  the  Confederacy  absorbed  all  the  modes  of  conveyance. 
Transportation  about  the  city  could  not  be  had,  save  by  a  rich  or  favored 
few.  No  love  could  persuade  where  money  failed  to  convince,  and  sEiiF, 
growing  bloated  in  its  dimensions,  stared  one  from  every  hurrying  aspect, 
a«  you  traversed  the  excited  and  crowded  streets.  In  numerous  instances, 
those  who  succeeded  in  getting  away,  did  so  at  the  cost  of  trunks  and  lug- 
gage ;  and,  Tinder  what  discomfort  they  departed,  no  one  who  did  not  see 
«»n  readily  conceive. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

EVACUATION  OF  COLLTMBIA  BY  THE  CONFEDERATE  TROOPS — TERRIBLE  EXlTXtSION 
AT  THE  SOUTH  CABOIJNA  EAILRO.M)  DEPOT — THE  COMMISSARY  AND  QUARTER- 
MASTER STORES  THROWN  OPEN — THE  SURRENDER  01*  THE  CiTt  BY  THE 
MAYOR — THE  MAYOR's  LETTER — ASSURANCES  OF  PROTECTION  BY  THE  FKDERAIi 
OFFICERS. 

The  end  was  rapidly  approaching.  The  guns  were  resounding  at  the 
pates.  Defence  was  impossilile.  At  a  late  hour  on  Thursday  night,  the 
Governor,  with  his  suite  and  a  large  train  of  officials,  departed.  The  Con- 
federate army  began  its  evacuation,  and  by  daylight  few  remained  who 
were  not  resigned  to  the  necessity  of  seeing  the  tragedy  played  out.  After 
all  the  depletion,  the  city  contained,  according  to  our  estimate,  at  least 
twenty  thousand  inhabitants,  the  larger  proportion  being  females  and 
children  and  negroes.  Hampton's  cavah-y,  as  we  have  already  mentioned, 
liugei-ed  till  near  10  o'clock  the  next  day,  and  scattered  groups  of  Wlieeler's 
command  hovered  about  the  Federal  army  at  their  entrance  into  the  town. 

The  inhabitants  were  startled  at  daylight,  on  Friday  morning,  by  a 
heavy  explosion.     This  was  the  South  Carolina  Railroad  Depot.     It  was 


12  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 

accidentally  bl(j\vii  uji.  Broken  opcu  by  a  Ijuud  uf  i^lunderers,  among 
whom  -were  many  females  and  negroes,  their  reckless  greed  precipitated 
their  fate.  Tliis  building  had  been  made  the  receptacle  of  supplies  from 
sundry  quarters,  and  was  crowded  ^\ith  stores  of  merchants  and  planters, 
tnmks  of  treasure,  innumerable  waros  and  goods  of  fugitives — all  of  great 
Tftlue.  It  appears  that,  among  its  contents,  were  some  kegs  of  powder. 
The  i)luuderers  paid,  and  suddenly,  the  penalties  of  their  crime.  Usiug 
their  hghts  freely  and  hurriedly,  the  Ijetter  to  2^''-'^'>  tlicy  tii-ed  a  train  of 
powder  leading  to  the  kegs.  The  explosion  followed,  and  the  number  of 
persons  destroyed  is  variously  estimated,  from  seventeen  to  fifty.  It  is 
probable  that  not  more  than  tliirty-livc  suffered,  but  the  actual  number 
perishing  is  unascertained. 

At  an  early  hour  on  Friday,  the  commissary  and  <|uartermaster  stores 
were  thrown  wide,  the  contents  cast  out  into  the  streets  and  given  to  the 
people.  The  negroes  e-si^eciaUy  loaded  themselves  with  plunder.  All  this 
might  have  been  saved,  had  the  officers  been  duly  warned  by  the  military 
authorities  of  the  i)robable  issue  of  the  struggle.  Wheeler's  cavalry  also 
shared  largely  of  this  phinder,  and  several  of  them  might  be  seen,  bearing 
oflf  huge  bales  upon  their  saddles. 

It  was  proposed  that  the  white  flag  should  be  displayed  from  the  tower 
of  the  City  Hall.  But  General  Hamjiton,  whose  command  had  not  yet 
left  the  city,  and  who  was  still  eager  to  do  battle  in  its  defence,  indignantly 
declared  that  if  displayed,  he  should  have  it  torn  down. 

The  following  letter  from  the  Mayor  to  General  Sherman  Avas  the  initi- 
ation of  the  surrender  : 

MAYOE'S  OFFICE, 
Columbia,  S.  C,  Februaiy  17,  1865. 
To  Ma.tor-Generajj  Sherman  :  The  Confederate  forces  having  evacuated 
Columbia,  I  deem  it  my  duty,  as  Mayor  and  re^jreseutative  of  the  city,  to 
ask  for  its  citizens  the  treatment  accorded  by  the  usages  of  civihzed  war- 
fare. I  therefore  respectfully  request  that  you  will  send  a  sufficient  guard 
in  advance  of  the  army,  to  maintain  order  in  the  city  and  i>rotect  the  per- 
sons and  property  of  the  citizens. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

T.  J.  GOODWYN,  Mayor. 

At  9  o'clock,  on  the  painfully  memorable  morning  of  the  17th  February, 
(Friday,)  a  deijutation  from  the  City  Council,  consisting  of  the  Mayor, 
Aldermen  McKenzie,  Bates  and  Stork,  in  a  carriage  bearing  a  white  flag, 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  13 

proceeded  towards  the  Broad  River  Bridge  Roatl.  Arriving  at  the  forks 
of  the  Winusboro  Road,  they  discovered  that  the  Coufederate  skirmishers 
were  still  busy  with  their  guns,  playing  upon  the  advance  of  th6  Federals. 
These  were  troops  of  General  Wheeler.  This  conflict  was  continued  sim- 
ply to  affoi'd  the  main  arm^"  all  jiossible  advantages  of.  a  start  iii  th6ir  re- 
treat. General  Wheeler  apprised  the  deputation  that  his  men  AYOuld  now 
l>e  withdraAvn,  and  instructed  them  in  what  manner  to  proceed.  The 
deputation  met  the  column  of  the  Federals,  under  .  Captain  Piatt,  who 
sent  them  forwai'd  to  Colonel  Stone,  Avho  finally  took  his  seat  with  them 
in  the  carriage.     The  advance  belonged  to  the  15th  cori)s. 

The  Mayor  reports  that  on  surrendering  the  city  to  Colonel  Stone,  the 
latter  assured  him  of  the  safety  of  the  citizens  and  of  the  protection  of 
their  i)roperty,  while  vixk'i'J/is  commioid.  He  could  not  answer  for  General 
Sherman,  who  was  in  the  rear,  but  he  expressed  th.:->  conviction  that  he 
Avould  fully  confirm  the  assurances  which  he  (Colonel  Stone)  had  given. 
Subsequently,  General  Sherman  did  confirm  them,  aiid  that  ni^it,  seeing 
that  the  Mayor  w-as  exhausted  by  his  labors  of  the  day,  he  counselled  him 
to  retire  to  rest,  saying,  "Not  a  finger's  l)readth,  Mr.  Mayor,  of  your  city 
shall  be  harmed.  You  may  lie  down  to  sleep,  satisfied  that  your  town 
shall  be  as  safe  in  my  hands  as  if  Avholly  in  your  own."  Such  Avas  very 
nearly  the  language  in  which  he  spoke  ;  such  was  the  substance  of  it.  He 
added  :  "It  will  become  my  duty  to  destroy  some  of  the  public  or  Govern- 
ment buildings  ;  but  I  will  reserve  this  performance  to  another  day.  It 
shaU  be  done  to-morrow,  provided  the' day  be  calm."  And  the  Mayor 
retii-ed  with  this  solemnly  asserted  and  repeated  assurance. 


.  CHAPTER  IX. 

OCCUPATION  OF  COLUMBIA.  UY  THE  FEDEKAL  /VKMY — THE  ADVANCE  GUARD 
FIRED  UPON — PLUNDERING  PRIVATE  PROPERTY — THE  JAIL  FIRED — BI'KN- 
ING  COTTON — THE  "  R.AID  "  ON  WATCHES — THE  CONVENT — CLERGYMEN 
ABUSED   BY   THE   SOLDIERS. 

About  11  o'clock,  the  head  of  the  column,  following  tlie  deputation — the 
Hag  of  the  United  States  surmounting  the  carriage — reached  Market  Hall, 
ou  Main  street,  Avhile  that  of  the  corps  was  carried  in  the  rear.  On  their 
way  to  the  city,  the  carriage  was  stopped,  and  the  officer  was  inforni«d  that 


1*  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUxMBIA. 

a  large  body  of  Confederate  cavalrj-  was  flanking  them.  Colonel  Stone 
said  to  the  Mayor.  "  We  Khali  hold  you  responsible  for  this  !"  The  Mayor 
explained,  that  the  road  leading  to  "VTinnsboro,  by  which  the  Confederates 
wer«  retreating,  i-an  nearly  parallel  for  a  short  distance  -with  the  river 
road,  which  aoo<Junt<'d  for  the  apjiarcnt  flanking.  Two  officers,  wlio 
arrived  in  Columbia  alu-ad  of  the  dfi>utatiun,  (having  crossed  the  river  at 
a  point  directly  oi)i)osite  the  city,)  were  fired  upon  by  one  of  Wheeler's 
cavalry.  We  are  particular  in  mentioning  this  fact,  as  we  learn  that,  sub- 
sequently, the  incident  was  urged  as  a  justification  of  the  sack  and  burning 
of  the  city. 

Hardly  had  the  troojis  reached  the  head  of  Main  street,  When  the  work 
of  pillage  was  l)eg>in.  Stores  were  broken  open  within  the  first  hour  after 
tlieir  arrival,  and  gold,  silver,  jewels  and  liquors,  eagerly  sought.  The 
authorities,  oflieers,  soldiers,  all,  seemed  to  consider  it  a  matter  of  course. 
And  woe  to  hinx  who  carried  a  watch  with  gold  chain  pendant ;  or  who  wore 
a  choice  hat,  or  overcoat,  or  boots  or  shoes.  He  was  stripped  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye.  It  is  computed  that,  from  first  to  last,  twelve  hundred 
Avatches  were  transferred  from  the  jiockets  of  their  owners  to  those  of  the 
soldiers.  Purses  shared  the  same  fate  ;  nor  was  the  Confederate  currency 
repudiated.     But  of  all  these  things  liereafter,  in  more  detail. 

At  about  12  o'clock,  the  jail  was  discovered  to  be  on  fire  from  within. 
This  building  was  immediately  in  rear  of  the  Market,  or  City  Hall,  and  in 
a  densely  biiilt  portion  of  the  city.  The  supposition  is  that  it  was  fired  by 
some  of  the  prisoners — all  of  whom  Avere  released  and  subsequently  fol- 
lowed the  army.  The  fire  of  the  jail  had  been  preceded  by  that  of  some 
cotton  piled  in  the  streets.  Both  fires  were  soon  .subdued  by  the  firemen. 
At  about  half-past  1  P.  M.,  that  of  the  jail  was  rekindled,  and  was  again 
<'xtinguished.  Some  of  the  prisoners,  who  had  been  confined  at  the  Asy- 
lum, had  made  their  escape,  in  some  instances,  a  few  days  before,  and 
were  secreted  and  jjrotected  by  citizens. 

No  one  felt  safe  in  his  own  dwelling  ;  and,  in  the  faith  that  General  Sher- 
man w(Uild  respect  the  Convent,  and  have  it  properly  guarded,  numbers  of 
young  ladies  were  confidtnl  to  the  care  of  the  Mother  Superior,  and  even 
trunks  of  (;lothes  and  treasure  were  sent  thither,  in  full  confidence  that 
they  would  find  safety.  Vain  illusions  !  The  Irish  ('atholic  troojjs,  it 
appears,  were  not  brought  into  the  city  at  all  ;  Avere  kept  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river.  But  a  few  Catholics  were  collected  among  the  corps  which 
occupied  th(i  city,  and  of  the  conduct  of  these,  a  favorable  account  is  given. 
One  of  them  rescued  a  silver  goblet  of  the  church,  used  as  a  drinking  cui3 
by  a  soldier,  a^d  restored  it  to  the  Rev.   Dr.  O'Connell.     This  i)riest,  by 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  IS 

the  way,  was  severely  handled  by  the  soldiers.  Such,  also,  was  the  fortune 
of  the  Kev.  Mr.  Shaud,  of  Trinity  (the  Episcojial)  Church,  who  sought  in 
vain  to  save  a  trunk  containing  the  sacred  vessels  of  his  church.  It  was 
violently  wrested  from  his  keeping,  and  his  struggle  to  save  it  oidy  pro- 
voked the  rougher  usiige.  We  are  since  told  that,  on  reaching  Camden, 
General  Sherman  restox'ed  what  he  believed  were  these  vessels  to  Bishop 
Da%'is.  It  has  since  been  discovered  that  the  plate  belonged  to  St.  Peter's 
Church  in  Charleston. 

And  here  it  may  bo  well  to  mention,  as  suggestive  of  many  clues,  an 
incident  which  jiresented  a  sad  commentary  on  that  confidence  in  the 
security  of  the  Convent,  which  was  entertained  by  the  great  portion  of 
the  people.  This  establishment,  under  the  charge  of  the  sister  of  the 
Right  Rev.  Bishop  Lynch,  was  at  once  a  convent  and  an  academy  of  the 
highest  class.  Hither  were  sent  for  education  the  daughters  of  Protestants, 
of  the  most  wealthy  classes  throughout  the  State  ;  and  these,  with  the 
nuns  and  those  young  ladies  sent  thither  on  the  emergency,  jirobably 
exceeded  one  hundred.  The  Lady  Superior  herself  entertained  the  fullest 
confidence  in  the  immunities  of  the  establishment.  But  her  confidence 
was  clouded,  after  she  had  enjoyed  a  conference  with  a  certain  major  of 
the  Yankee  army,  who  described  himself  as  an  editor,  from  Detroit.  He 
visited  her  at  an  early  hour  in  the  day,  and  annouuced  his  friendly  sympa- 
thies with  the  Lady  Superior  and  the  sisterhood  ;  professed  his  anxiety  for 
their  safety — his  purpose  to  do  all  that  he  coidd  to  insure  it — declared  that 
he  would  instantly  go  to  Sherman  and  secure  a  chosen  guard  ;  and,  alto- 
gether, made  such  professions  of  love  and  sei-vice,  as  to  disarm  those 
susiiicions,  which  his  bad  looks  and  bad  manners,  inflated  speech  and 
pomx50US  carriage,  might  otherwise  have  provoked.  The  Lady  Superior, 
with  such  a  charge  in  her  hands,  Avas  naturally  glad  to  welcome  all  shows 
and  prospects  of  support,  and  expressed  her  gratitude.  He  disappeared, 
and  soon  after  re-appeared,  bringing  -n-ith  him  no  less  than  eight  or  ten 
men— none  of  them,  as  he  admitted,  being  Catholics.  He  had  some 
specious  argument  to  show  that,  perhaps,  her  guard  had  better  be  one  of 
Protestants.  This  suggestion  staggei-ed  the  lady  a  little,  but  he  seemed  to 
convey  a  more  potent  reason,  when  he  added,  in  a  whisper  :  "  For  I  must 
leU  you,  my  sister,  that  Columbia  is  a  doomed  city .'"  Terrible  doom  !  This 
officer,  leaving  his  men  behind  him,  disai)peared,  to  show  himself  no  more. 
The  guards  so  left  behind  were  finally  among  the  most  busy  as  plunderers. 
The  moment  that  the  inmates,  di-iven  out  by  the  fire,  were  forced  to  aban- 
don their  house,  they  began  to  revel  in  its  contents. 

Quis  custodiet  ipsos  custodes? — who  shall  guard   the  guards  ?— asks  the 


« 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 


proverb.  In  a  immbor  of  cases,  the  guards  provided  for  the  citizens  were 
among  the  most  active  phiuderers  ;  were  quick  to  betray  their  trusts, 
abandon  their  posts,  and  bring  their  comrades  in  to  join  in  the  general 
pillage.  The  most  dextrous  and  adroit  of  these,  it  is  the  ojiiuion  of  most 
persons,  wore  cliiefly  Eastern  men,  or  men  of  immediate  Eastern  origin. 
The  AYesteru  men,  including  the  Indiana,  a  portion  of  the  Illinois  and 
Iowa,  were  neither  so  dextrous  nor  unscrupulous — were  frequently  faithfid 
and  respectful  :.and,  perhaps,  it  would  be  safe  to  assert  that  many  of  tht- 
houses  which  escaped  the  sack  and  tii*e,  owed  their  safety  to  the  presence 
or  the  contiguity  of  some  of  these  men.     But  we  must  retrace  our  steps. 


CHAPTER  X. 

FTRINO     THE     CITY     r.\   SHEKMAX'.S     TROOPS — THE    DISCIPLINE    OP    THE    MEN — 
CITIZENS    APPLYING    rOK    A    GUAllD — "A   KEIUN    OE   TEltROK  " — THE   IIKESIEN 

INTERRTTPTED A   TERRIBLE    SIGHT — SOLDIERS    BURNT   TO   DEATH — THE   CITY 

fLOf'K    GTVES   ITS   LAST    SOUND. 

It  may  be  well  to  remark  that  the  discipline  of  the  soldiers,  upon  tlieii- 
first  entry  into  the  city,  was  perfect  and  most  admirable.  There  was  no 
disorder  or  irregularity  ou  the  line  of  march,  .showing  that  their  ofticers 
liad  them  comijletel}'  in  hand.  They  were  a  fine  looking  body  of  men, 
mostly  young  and  of  vigorous  formation,  well  clad  and  well  shod,  seemingly 
wanting  in  nothing.  Their  arms  and  accoutrements  wea-e  in  bright  order. 
The  negroes  accompanying  them  were  not  numerous,  and  seemed  mostly 
to  act  as  drudges  and  body  servants.  Thej-  groomed  horses,  waited,  earned 
burdens,  and,  in  almost  every  in.stauce  under  our  eyes,  ajipeared  in  a  purely 
servile,  and  not  a  military,  capacity.  The  men  of  the  "West  treated  them 
generally  with  scorn  or  iudiffei-ence,  sometimes  harshly,  and  not  unfre- 
(pieutly  with  blows. 

But,  if  the  entrance  into  town  and  while  on  duty,  was  indicative  of 
admirable  drill  and  discipline,  such  ceased  to  be  the  case  the  moment  the 
trooi)s  were  dismissed.  Then,  whether  by  tacit  ijcrmission  or  direct  com- 
juaud,  their  whole  deijortment  underwent  a  sudden  and  rapid  change. 
The  saturnalia  soon  began.  We  have  shown  that  the  robbery  of. the 
persona  of  the  citizens  and  the  plunder  of  their  homes  commenced  within 
one  hour  after  they  had  reached  the  Market  Hall.  It  continued  without 
inteiTuption   throughout  the  day.     Sheruiaii,  at  the  head  of  his  cavalry, 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  17 

traversed  the  streets  everywhere — so  did  his  officers.  Subsequently,  these 
officers  were  everywhere  on  foot,  yet  beheld  nothing  which  required  the 
intei-positiou  of  authoritj-.  And  yet  robbery  was  going  on  at  every  corner 
— in  nearly  every  house.  Citizens  generally  applied  for  a  guard  at  their 
several  houses,  and,  for  a  time,  these  guards  were  allotted  them.  These 
might  be  faithfid  or  not.  In  some  cases,  as  akeady  stated,  they  were,  and 
civil  and  respectful ;  considerate  of  the  claims  of  Avomen,  and  never  tres- 
passing upon  the  privacy  of  tlie  family  ;  but,  in  numbers  of  cases,  they 
were  intrusive,  insulting  and  treacherous — leaving  no  privacy  undisturbed, 
passing  without  a  word  into  the  chambers  and  prying  into  every  crevice 
and  corner. 

But  the  reign  of  terror  did  not  fairly  begin  till  night.  In  some  instances, 
where  parties  complained  of  the  misrule  and  robbery,  their  guards  said  to 
them,  with  a  chuckle  :  "This  is  nothing.  Wait  till  to-night,  and  you'll 
see  h — 11." 

Among  the  first  fires  at  evening  was  one  about  dark,  whicli  broke  out  in 
a  filthy  purlieii  of  low  houses,  of  wood,  on  Gervais  street,  occupied  mostly 
as  brothels.  Almost  at  the  same  time,  a  body  of  the  soldiers  scattered 
over  the  Eastern  outskirts  of  the  city,  fired  severally  the  dwellings  of  Mr. 
Secretary  Trenhohn,  General  Wade  Hampton,  Dr.  John  Wallace,  J.  U. 
Adams,  Mrs.  Starke,  Mr.  Latta,  Mrs.  English,  and  many  others.  There 
Avere  then  some  twenty  fires  in  full  blast,  in  as  many  different  quarters, 
and  while  the  alarm  sounded  from  these  quarters,  a  similar  alarm  was  sent 
up  almost  simultaneou.sly  from  Cotton  Town,  the  Northermost  limit  of  the 
city,  and  from  Main  street  in  its  very  centre,  at  the  several  stores  or  houses 
of  O.  Z.  Bates,  C.  D.  Eberhardt,  and  some  others,  in  the  heart  of  the 
most  densely  settled  portion  of  the  town  ;  thus  enveloping  in'  flames 
almost  every  section  of  the  devoted  city.  At  this  period,  thus  early  in  the 
evening,  there  were  few  shows  of  that  drunkenness  which  prevailed  at  a 
late  hour  iu  the  night,  and  only  after  all  the  grocery  shops  on  Main  street 
had  been  rifled.  The  men  engaged  in  this  Avere  Avell  prepared  with  aU  the 
appliances  essential  to  their  work.  They  did  not  need  the  torch.  They 
carried  with  them,  from  house  to  house,  pots  and  vessels  containing  com- 

1  bustible  liquid.^,  composed  probably  of  phosphorous  and  other  similar 
agents,  turpentine,  &c.  ;  and,  Avith  balls  of  cotton  saturated  iu  this  Hquid, 
Avith  which  they  also  overspread  floors  and  Avails,  they  conveyed  the  flames 

I  with  wonderful  raipidity  from  dwelling  to  dwelling.     Each  had  his  ready 

i  box  of  Lucifer  matches,  and,  Avith  a  scrape  upon  the  Avails,  the  flames 
began  to  rage.     Where  ^louses  Averc  closely  contiguous,  a  brand  from  one 

I  was  the  means  of  conveying  destruction  to  the  other, 
3 


18  '  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBL\. 

The  winds  favored.  They  had  been  high  throiighont  the  day,  and 
steadily  prevailed  from  South-west  by  West,  and  bore  the  flames  Eastward. 
To  this  fact  we  owe  the  preser\-ation  of  the  portions  of  the  city  lying  West 
of  Assembly  street. 

The  work,  begun  thus  vigorously,  went  on  without  impediment  and  with 
hourly  increase  throughout  the  night.  Engines  and  hose  were  brought 
out  by  the  firemen,  but  these  were  soon  diiven  from  tlieir  labors — which 
were  indeed  idle  against  such  a  storm  of  fire — by  the  pertinacious  hostility 
of  the  soldiers  ;  the  hose  was  hewn  to  pieces,  and  the  firemen,  dreading 
worse  usage  to  themselves,  left  the  field  in  desjiair.  Meanwhile,  tlie 
flames  si)read  from  side  to  side,  from  front  to  rear,  from  street  to  street, 
and  where  their  natural  and  inevitable  progress  was  too  slow  for  those  who 
had  kindled  them,  they  helped  them  on  liy  the  aiiplicatiou  of  fresh  com- 
bustibles and  more  rapid  agencies  of  conflagi-atiou.  By  midnight,  !Main 
street,  from  its  Northern  to  its  Southern  extremity,  Avas  a  solid  wall  of  fire. 
By  12  o'clock,  the  great  blocks,  which  included  the  banking  houses  and 
the  Treasury  buildings,  were  consumed  ;  Janney's  (Congaree)  and  Nicker- 
son's  Hotels  ;  the  magnificent  manufactories  of  Evans  it  Cogswell — indeed, 
every  large  block  in  the  bu.siness  i:)ortion  of  the  city  ;  the  old  Capitol  and 
all  the  adjacent  buildings  were  in  ruins.  The  range  cfl,lled  the  "  Granite" 
was  beginning  to  flame  at  12,  and  might  have  been  saved  by  ten  A-igorous 
men,  resolutely  working. 

At  1  o'clock,  the  hour  was  struck  by  the  clock  of  the  Market  Hall,  which 
Avas  even  then  illuminated  from  Avithin.  It  was  its  own  last  hour  which  it 
sounded,  and  its  tongue  was  silenced  forevermore.  In  less  than  five 
minutes  after,  its  spire  went  down  Avith  a  crash,  and,  by  this  time,  almost 
all  the  buildings  Avithin  the  precinct  Avere  a  mass  of  ruins. 

Very  grand,  and  terrible,  beyond  description,  Avas  the  awful  spectacle. 
It  was  a  scene  for  the  painter  of  the  terril)le.  It  Avas  the  blending  of  a 
range  of  burning  mountains  stretched  in  a  continuous  series  for  more  than 
a  mile.  Her(>  was  Mtna,  sending  up  its  spouts. of  flaming  lava  ;  Vesuvius, 
emulous  of  hke  display,  shooting  tip  with  loftier  torrents,  and  Stromboli,, 
struggling,  Avith  awful  throes,  to  shame  both  by  its  superior  volumes  of 
fluid  flame.  The  Avinds  Avere  tributaiy  to  these  convulsive  eftorts,  and 
tossed  the  volcanic  torrents  hundreds  of  feet  in  air.  Great  spouts  of  flame 
spread  aloft  in  canopies  of  snlpliurous  cloud— Avreatlis  of  sable,  edged  Avith  ' 
sheeted  lightnings,  Avrapped  the  skies,  and,  at  short  intervals,  the  falling 
toAver  and  the  tottering  wall,  avalanche-like,  Avent  doAvn  Avith  thunderous 
sound,  sending  up  at  every  crash  great  billoAvy  showers  of  gloAving  fiery 
embers. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBL\.  ,19 

Throughout  the  whole  of  this  terrible  scene  the  soldiers  continued  their 
search  after  spoil.  The  houses  were  severally  and  soon  gutted  of  their 
contents.  Hundreds  of  iron  safes,  warranted  "impenetrable  to  fire  and 
the  burglar, "  it  was  soon  satisfactorily  demonstrated,  were  not  "Yankee 
proof."  They  were  split  open  and  robbed,  yielding,  in  some  cases,  Yerry 
largely  of  Confederate  money  and  bonds,  if  not  of  gold  and  silver.  Jew- 
elry and  plate  in  abundance  was  found.  Men  could  be  seen  staggering  off 
with  huge  waiters,  vases,  candelabra,  to  say  nothing  of  cups,  goblets  and 
smaller  vessels,  aU  of  solid  silver.  Clothes  and  shoes,  when  new,  were 
approjiriated — the  rest  left  to  burn.  Liquors  were  drank  with  such  avidity 
as  to  astonish  the  veteran  Bacchanals  of  Columbia  ;  nor  did  the  parties 
thus  distinguishing  themselves  hesitate  about  the  vintage.  There  was  no 
.idle  disorimiiiation  in  the  niatter  of  taste,  from  that  vulgar  liquoi*,  which 
judge  Burke  used  to  say  always  provoked  within  him  "an  inordinate  pro- 
pensity to  sthale,"  to  the  choicest  red  wines  of  the  ancient  cellars.  In  one 
vault  on  Main  street,  seventeen  casks  of  wine  were  stored  away,  which,  an 
"eye-witness  tells  us,  bai-ely  sufficed,  once  broken  into,  for  the  draughts  of 
a  single  hoiir — such  were  the  apiietites  at  work  and  the  numbers  in  posses^ 
sion  of  them.  Bye,  corn,  claret  and  Madeira  all  found  their  way  into  the 
same  channels,  and  we  are  not  to  wonder,  Avhen  told  that  no  less  than  one 
hundred  aud  fifty  of  the  drunken  creatures  perished  mi.sei'ably  among  the 
flames  kindled  by  their  own  comrades,  aud  from  which  they  were  unable 
to  escape.  The  estimate  wiU  not  be  thought  extravagant  by  those  who 
saw'the  condition  of  hundreds  after  1  o'clock  A.  M.  Bj  others,  however 
the  estimate  is  reduced  to  thirty;  but  the  number  will  never  be  known. 
Sherman's  officers  themselves  are  rel^orted  to  have  said  that  they  lost  more 
nien  in  the  sack  and  burning  of  the  city  (including  certain  explosions) 
than  in  all  their  fights  while  approaching  it.  It  is  also  suggested  that  the 
orders  which  Sherman  issued  at  daylight,  on  Saturday  morning,  for  the 
arrest  of  the  fire,  were  issued  in  consequence  of  the  loss  of  men  which  he 
had  thus  sustained. 

Oiie  or  more  of  his  men  were  shot,  by  parties  lankuown,  in  some  dark 
passages  or  alley.s — it  is  snpposed  in  consequence  of  some  attempted  out- 
rages which  humanity  could  not  endure  ;  the  assassin  taking  advantage  of 
the  obscurity  of  the  .situation  and  adroitly  fuiugling  with  the  crowd  with- 
out. And  while  these  scenes  were  at  their  worst — while  the  flames  were 
at  their  highest  and  most  extensively  raging — groups  might  be  seen  at  the 
several  corners  of  the  streets,  drinking,  roaring,  revelling — while  the  fiddle 
aud  accordeou  were  playing  their  popular  airs  among  them.  There  was 
jjo  cessation  of  the  work  till  5  A,  M.  on  Saturday. 


20  DESTEUCTION  OF  COLUMBL\. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

UNSUOCESSFUIi  ATTEMPTS  TO  8A^^E  TBOPERTT — FEMALES  rLL-TKEATEU — A  GUAKU 
PEBFOEMS  HIS  DITTY — A  PliUCKY  CITIZEN — FAMIXitES  l^VAiaEEEU  IN  THE 
STREETS — A  COOL  PROCEEDING — "A  BIG  DBUNK." 

A  single  thonglit  will  suffice  to  show  that  the  owners  or  lodgers  in  the 
houses  thus  sacrificed  Avere  uot  sileut  or  quiet  si3ectators  of  a  conflagration 
which  threw  them  naked  and  homeless  under  the  skies  of  night.  The  male 
population,  consisting  mostly  of  aged  men,  invalids,  decrepits,  women  and 
children,  M'ere  not  capable  of  very  active  or  powerful  exertions  ;  but  they 
did  not  succumb  to  the  fato  without  earnest  jjleas  and  strenuous  efforts. 
Old  men  and  women  and  children  were  to  be  seen,  even  while  the  flames 
were  rolling  and  raging  around  them,  while  walls  were  crackling  and 
rafters  tottering  and  tumbling,  in  the  endeavor  to  save  their  clothing  and 
some  of  their  most  valuable  effects.  It  was  not  often  that  they  were  sxif- 
fered  to  succeed.     They  were  driven  out  headlong. 

Ladies  were  hustled  from  their  chambers. — their  ornaments  plucked  from 
their  persons,  their  bundles  from  their  hands.  It  was  in  vain  that  the 
mother  apjiealetl  for  the  garments  of  her  children.  They  were  torn  from 
her  grasp  and  hurled  into  the  flames.  The  young  girl  striA-ing  to  save  a 
.•jingle  frock,  had  it  rent  to  fibres  in  her  grasi).  Men  and  women  bearing 
off  their  trunks  Avere  seized,  despoiled,  in  a  moment  the  trunk  burst  asun- 
der with  the  stroke  of  axe  or  gun-butt,  the  contents  laid  bare,  rifled  of  all 
the  objects  of  desire,  and  the  residue  sacrified  to  the  fire.  You  might  sec 
the  ruined  owner,  standing  woe-begone,  aghast,  gazing  at  his  tumbhng 
dAvelling,  his  scattered  property,  with  a  dumb  agony  in  his  face  that  was 
inexpressibly  toiaching.  Others  you  might  hear,  as  we  did,  with  wild 
bhisphemies  assailing  the  justice  of  Heaven,  or  invoking,  with  hfted  and 
clenched  hands,  the  fiery  wrath  of  the  avenger.  But  the  soldiers  i)lun- 
dcrcd  and  drank,  the  fiery  Avork  raged,  and  the  moon  sailed  over  all  with 
as  serene  an  asi)ect  as  Avhen  she  first  smiled  upon  the  ark  resting  against 
the  slopes  of  Ai'arat. 

Such  Avas  the  sioectacle  for  hours  on  the  chief  business  street  of  Co- 
lumbia. 

We  have  intimated  that,  at  an  early  hour  in  the  day,  almost  eveiy  house 


DESTKUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  21 

was  visited  by  groups,  averaging  iu  number  from  two  to  six  persons. 
Some  of  these  entered  civilly  enough,  but  pertinaciously  entered,  in  some 
eases,  hegf/ing  for  milk,  eggs,  bread  and  meat — in  most  cases,  demanding 
them.  The  kitchens  were  entered  frequently  by  one  party,  Avhile  another 
penetrated  the  dwelhug,  and  the  cook  was  frequently  astounded  by  the 
audacity  by  which  the  turkey,  duck,  fowl  or  roast  was  transferred  from  the 
spit  to  the  wallet  of  the  soldier.  In  the  house,  parties  less  meek  of  temper 
than  these  pushed  their  Avay,  and  the  first  intimation  of  their  presence,  as 
they  were  confronted  at  the  entrance,  was  a  pistol  clapped  at  the  head  or 
bosom  of  the  owner,  whether  male  or  female. 

"Your  watch!"  "Your  money!"  was  the  demand.  Freipiently,  no 
demand  was  made.  Earely,  indeed,  was  a  word  spoken,  where  the  watch 
or  chain,  or  ring  or  bracelet,  presented  itself  conspicuously  to  the  eye. 
It  Avas  incontinently  plucked  away  from  the  neck,  breast  or  bosom.  Hun- 
dreds of  women,  still  greater  numbers  of  old  men,  wero  thus  despoiled. 
Th(!  slightest  show  of  resistance  provoked  violence  to  tlie  ])ersou. 

The  venerable  Mr.  Alfred  Huger  was  thus  robbed  in  the  chamber  and 
presence  of  his  family,  and  in  the  eye  of  an  almost  dying  wile.  He  offered 
resistance,  and  was  coUared  and  dispossessed  by  violence. 

We  are  told  that  the  venerable  ex-Senator,  Colonel  Arthur  P.  Hayne, 
^vas  treated  even  more  roughly. 

Mr.  James  Rose,  besides  his  watch,  lost  largely  of  choice  wines,  which 
had  been  confided  to  his  keeping. 

But  Ave  cannot  descend  to  examples.  In  the  open  streets  the  pickpockets 
were  mostly  active.  A  frequent  mode  of  operating  Avas  by  lirst  asking  you 
the  hour.  If  thoughtless  t>nough  to  reijly,  producing  the  Avatch  or  indi- 
cating its  possessic)n,  it  Avas  quietly  taken  from  hand  or  ixjcket,  and  trans- 
ferred to  the  pocket  of  the  "other  gentleman,"  Avith  some  such  reniark  as 
this:  "  A  pretty  little  Avatch  that.  Til  take  it  myself  ;  it  just  suits  me." 
And  the  appropriation  foUoAAcd  ;  and  if  you  hinted  any  dislike  to  the  pro- 
ceeding, a  grasp  was  taken  of  your  collar  and  the  muzzle  of  a  revolver  put 
to  your  ear.  Some  of  the  incidents  connected  Avith  this  AvJiolesale  system 
Avere  rather  amusing. 

Dr.  Templetou,  a  Avell  knoAvu  and  highly  esteemed  citizen,  passing  along 
the  street,  was  accosted  by  a  coiq)le  of  these  experts,  Avho  stopped  and 
asked  him,  pointing  to  the  arsenal  building,  on  tlie  hill  ()2)posite,  "What 
building  is  that  ?" 

"The  State  Arsenal,"  was  his  reply,  unwisely  extending-  his  arm,  as  he 
pointed,  in  ttirn,  to  the  building,  and  revealing  between  tljo  fojds  of  lii« 
coat  the  shining  links  of  a  vioh  gold  chain. 


22  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 

Before  he  could  rocover  himself,  liis  cliain  and  wiitch  were  in  the  grasp 
of  the  thief,  who  was  propaiiug  to  transfer  it  to  his  own  pocket,  (juietly 
remarking,  "A  very  pretty  littlo  watch  ;  just  to  my  liking." 

"That  is  very  cool,"  said  Templcton. 

"Just  my  way,"  said  the  follow,  walking  off". 

"Stop,"  said  Templeton,  half  amazed  at  the  coolness  of  the  proceeding, 
and  feeling  that  he  had  only  to  put  the  best  fjice  on  the  matter.  "Stop  ; 
that  watth  will  be  of  no  use  to  you  without  the  key  ;  won't  you  take  that 
also  ?•■ 

"All  right,"  replied  the  robber,  returning  and  receiving  the  key. 

The  question,  "  AVhat's  o'clock,"  was  the  sure  forerunner  of  an  attempt 
upon  your  pocket.  Some  parties  saved  their  chronometers  by  an  adroit- 
ness which  deserves  to  be  made  known.  One  individual  replied  to  the 
question  :  "You  are  too  late  my  good  fellow.s.  I  was  asked  that  question 
already  by  one  of  your  parties,  at  the  other  corner."  He  left  them  to  infer 
that  the  watch  was  already  gone,  and  they  passed  him  by. 

We  are  told  of  one  person  who,  being  thus  asked  for  the  time  of  day  by 
three  of  them,  in  a  street  in  which  he  could  see  no  other  of  their  comrades, 
thrust  a  revolver  suddenly  into  their  faces,  and  cocking  it  quickly,  cried 
out,  "Look  for  yourselves."     They  sheered  off  And  left  him. 

"We,  ourselves,  were  twice  asked  the  question  the  morning  after  the  tire, 
and  looking  innocently  to  where  the  City  Hall  clock  once  stood,  rexilied' 
"  Our  city  clock  is  gone,  you  see  ;  but  it  must  be  near  11." 

Mr.  J.  K.  Robinson  was  assailed  with  the  same  question  by  a  pafty  in 
the  neighborhood  of  his  house.     He  denied  that  he  had  a  watch. 

"  Oh  !  look,  look  !"  was  the  answer  of  the  questioner. 

"I  need  not  look,"  quoth  Robinson,  "since  I  have  not  a  watch." 

"Look,  look — a  man  of  your  appearance  inusf  own  a  watch." 

"Well,  I  do  ;  but  it  is  at  my  home — at  my  house." 

"  TMiere's  your  house  ?     We'll  go  and  see." 

He  took  them  into  his  house,  suddenly  called  his  guard  and  said,  ' '  These 
men  are  pursuing  me  ;  I  kuoAv  not  what  they  want." 

The  guard  drove  out  the  party,  with  successive  thrusts  at  them  of  the 
bayonet,  and  from  the  street,  defrauded  of  their  spoils,  they  saluted  house 
guard  and  owner  with  all  manner  of  horrid  execrations. 

Hundreds  of  like  anecdotes  are  told,  not  merely  of  loss  in  watches,  but 
of  every  other  article  of  property.  Hats  and  boots,  overcoats  and  shawls — 
these,  when  new  and  attractive,  were  sure  to  be  taken.  Even  the  negroes 
were  des})oiled,  whenever  the  commodity  Avas  of  any  value. 

An  incident  occurred,  which,  though  amusing  to  read  of,  could  not  have 


DESTEUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  ^^'^ 

been  very  pleasant  to  one  of  the  party  engaged  at  least.  A  gentleman  was 
directed  to  break  in  the  heads  and  enipty  the  contents  of  some  forty  bar- 
rels of  whiskey  stored  at  the  Fair  Grounds.  He  had  proceeded  Avith  the 
job  only  so  far  as  breaking  in  the  heads  of  the  bai'rels,  when  a  number  of 
soldiers  entered  the  building,  and  stopped  all  further  proceeding.  They 
charged  him  with  ijoisoning  the  liquor,  and  forced  him  to  take  a  drink 
from  every  barrel,  before  they  would  touch  the  contents.  The  consequence 
was,  that  ho  was  drunk  for  over  a  week. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

SCENE.S  AND  rNOIDENTS — THE  SOLDIER.S  AND  THE  LADIES — "FLUCK"  OF  THE- 
SOUTH  CAHOLINA  TiADIES — THE  POOR  FRENCH  LADY  WITH  THE  SOLDIERS^ — 
WHAT  OCCURRED  IN  THE  HOUSES — "  SWAPPINO  "  «UNS— AN  OFFICER  PRO- 
TECTS A  HOUSE — SLNGtTLAR  INCIDENT. 

Within  the  dwellings,  the  scenes  were  of  more  harsh  and  tragical  charac- 
ter, rarely  softened  by  any  ludicrous  aspects,  as  they  were  screened  by  the 
privacy  of  the  apartment,  with  but  few  eyes  to  Avitness.  The  pistol  to  the 
bosom  or  the  head  of  Avoman,  the  patient  mother,  the  trembling  daughter, 
was  the  ordinary  introduction  to  the  demand.  "Your  gold,  silver,  watch, 
jewels."  They  gave  no  time,  allowed  no  pause  or  hesitation.  It  was  ui 
vain  that  the  woman  offered  her  keys,  or  proceeded  to  open  drawer,  or 
wardrobe,  or  cabinet,  or  trunk.  It  was  dashed  to  pieces  by  axe  or  gun- 
butt,  ■n'ith  the  cry,  "  We  have  a  shorter  way  than  that !"  It  was  in  vain 
that  she  pleaded  to  spare  her  furniture,  and  she  would  give  up  all  its  con- 
tents. 

All  the  precious  things  of  a  family,  such  as  the  heart  loves  to  pore  on  in 
quiet  hours  when  alone  with  memoiy— the  dear  miniature,  the  photogi-aph, 
the  portrait — these  were  dashed  to  pieces,  crushed  under  foot,  and  the 
more  the  trembler  pleaded  for  the  object  so  precioiis,  the  more  violent  the 
rage  which  destroyed  it.  Nothing  was  sacred  in  their  eyes,  save  the  gold 
and  silver  which  they  bore  away.  Nor  were  these  acts  those  of  common 
soldiers.  Commissioned  oflicers,  of  rank  so  high  as  that  of  a  colonel,  were 
frequently  among  the  most  active  in  .spoliation,  and  not  always  the  most 
tender  or  considerate  in  the  manner  and  acting  of  their  crimes.  And, 
after- glutting  themselves  with  spoil,  would  often  utter  the  foulest  speeches, 


24  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 

coupieci  -with  oftths  as  condiment,  dealing  in  what  they  assumed,  besides, 
to  be  bitter  sarcasms  upon  the  cause  and  country. 

"  And  what  do  you  think  of  the  Yankees  now?"  was  a  frequent  ques- 
tion. "Do  you  not  fear  us,  now  ?"  "What  do  you  think  of  secession  ?" 
<fec.,  &c.  "We  mean  to  wipe  you  out!  We'll  burn  the  very  stones  of 
South  Carolijifl."  Even  General  Howard,  who  is  said  to  have  been  once  a 
pious  i)arsou,  is  rej^orted  to  have  made  this  reply  to  a  citizen  who  had 
expostulated  with  him  on  the  monstrous  crime  of  which  his  army  had  been 
guilty  :  "It  is  only  what  the  country  deserves.  It  is  her  fit  punishment  ; 
and  if  this  does  not  quiet  rebellion,  and  we  have  to  return,  we  will  do  this 
work  thoroughly.     We  will  not  leave  woman  or  child." 

Almost  universally,  the  Avomen  of  Columbia  behaved  themselves  nobly 
under  their  insults.  They  preserved  that  i)utient,  calm  demeanor,  that 
Kimi)le,  almost  masculine  firmness,  which  so  becomes  humanity  in  the 
hour  of  trial,  when  nothing  can  be  opposed  to  the  tempest  but  the  virtue 
of  inflexible  endurance.  They  rarely  replied  to  these  insults  ;  but  looking 
coldly  into  the  faces  of  the  assailants,  lieard  them  in  silence  and  with  un- 
blenching  cheeks.  When  forced  to  answer,  the}*  did  so  in  monosyllables 
only,  or  in  brief,  stern  language,  avowed  their  confidence  in  the  cause  of 
their  coiintry,  the  i^rincij^les  and  rights  for  which  their  brothers  and  sons 
fought,  and  their  faith  in  the  ultimate  favor  and  i^rotection  of  God.  One 
or  two  of  many  of  these  dialogues — if  they  may  be  called  such,  where  one 
of  the  parties  can  urge  his  sjjeech  v.ith  all  the  agencies  of  i)ower  for  its 
enforcement,  and  Arith  all  his  instruments  of  terror  in  sight,  while  the 
other  stands  exjiosed  to  the  worst  terrors  which  maddened  passions,  inso- 
lent in  the  consciousness  of  strength — may  suffice  as  a  sample  of  many  : 

"Well,  what  do  you  think  of  the  Yankees  now  ?"' 

"Do  you  exjiect  a  favorable  oiunion  '?" 

"No  !  d — n  it  !     But  you  fear  us,  and  that's  enough." 

"No — we  do  not  fear  you." 

"What!  not  yet  V" 

•♦Not  yet!" 

"But  you  shall  fear  \is. " 

•'Never !" 

"We'll  make  you." 

"You  may  inliict,  we  can  endure  ;  but  fear — nev(>r  !     Anything  luit  tlint. " 

"We'll  make  you  fear  us  !"  clapping  a  revolver  to  the  lady's  head. 

Hei'  eye  never  faltered.  Her  cheek  never  changed  its  color.  Her  lips 
were  firmly  compressed.  Her  arms  folded  on  her  })osom.  The  eye  of  the 
assassin  glared  into  her  own.     She  met  the  encounter  without  flinching, 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  25 

and  he  lo-vrered  the  implement  of  murder,  with  au  oath  :  ''D— n  it !     You 
have  phick  enough  for  a  whole  regiment  !" 

In  a  great  many  cases  the  guard  behaved  themselves  well,  using  their 
utmost  endeavors  to  protect  the  property  under  their  charge,  even'' to  the 
use  of  the  bayonet. 

An  officer.  Lieutenant  McQueen,  stopped  with  Dr.  Wm.  Reynolds,  and 
during  the  fire,  worked  manfully,  and  was  the  means  of  saving  the  resi- 
dence from  destruction.  His  gentlemanly  manneis  mou  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  the  family,  and  when  he  was  on  the  point  of  leaving,  the 
doctor  gave  him  a  letter,  signed  by  several  gentlemen,  acknowledging  his 
grateful  feelings  for  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been  treated  ;  saying  that 
the  fortunes  of  war  might  some  time  place  him  in  a  position  that  the  letter 
might  be  of  use  to  him.  This  proved  to  be  the  case.  At  the  skirmish 
near  Lynch's  Creek,  this  officer  was  wounded  and  captured.  On  showing 
the  letter  to  a  friend  of  Dr.  Reynolds,  who  liappened  to  be  in  the  hospital, 
he  was  removed  to  a  private  house,  every  attention  shown  him,  and  when 
he  wasal)le  to  move,  a  .special  parole  was  obtained  for  him,  and  he  returned 
to  his  home. 

The  "pluck"  of  our  women  was  especially  a  subject  of  acknowledgment. 
They  could  admire  u  quality  with  wliich  they  had  not  soul  to  sympathize 
—or  rather  the  paramount  jias-sion  for  greed  and  plunder  kept  iu  .subjec- 
tion all  (jther  qualities,  without  absolutely  extinguishing  them  from  tlieir 
minds  and  thoughts.  To  inspire  terror  iu  the  w^eak,  strange  to  say,  seemed 
to  them  a  sort  of  heroism.  To  extort  fear  and  awe  appeared  to  their 
inordinate  vanity  a  tribute  more  grateful  than  any  other,  and  a  curious 
conflict  was  sometimes  carried  on  in  their  minds  between  their  vanity  and 
cupidity.  Occasionally  they  gave  with  one  hand,  while  they  robbed  with 
another. 

Several  curious  instances  of  this  nature  took  place,  one  of  which  must 
sTiffiee.  A  cei-tain  Yankee  officer  happened  to  hear  that  an  old  acquaintance 
of  his,  whom  he  had  knoAvn  intimately  at  West  Point  and  Louisiana,  was 
residing  in  Columlna.  He  went  to  see  him  after  the  fire,  and  ascertained 
that  his  losses  had  been  very  heavy,  exceeding  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  The  parties  had  not  separated  for  an  hour,  when  a  messenger 
came  from  the  Yankee,  bringing  a  box,  which  contained  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  in  Confederate  notes.  This  the  Yankee  begged  his 
Southern  friend  to  accept,  as  helping  to  make  up  his  losses.  The  latter 
declined  the  gift,  not  being  altogether  satisticd  in  conscience  vrith 
regard  to  it.  In  many  cases,  Confederate  money  by  the  handfull  was 
bestowed  by  the  officers  and  soldiers  upon  parties  from  whom  they  had 
4 


26  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 

robbed  the  last  purticles  of  clothing,  and  even  General  Sherman  could 
give  to  parties,  whom  he  knew,  the  Hour  and  bacon  which  had  been  taken 
from  starving  widow.s  and  orphans.  So  he  left  with  the  people  of  C-oluni- 
bia  a  hundred  old  muskets  for  their  i)rotection,  while  emptying  their 
arsenals  of  a  choice  collection  of  beautiful  Enfield  rifles.  And  so  the 
starving  citizens  of  Columbia  owe  to  him  a  few  hundred  starving  cattle, 
which  he  had  taken  from  the  starving  peoi^le  of  Beaufort,  Barnwell, 
Orangeburg  and  Lexington — cattle  left  without  food,  and  for  which  food 
could  not  be  found,  and  dying  of  exhaustion  at  the  rate  of  fifteen  to 
twenty  head  per  diem. 

In  this  connection  and  this  section,  in  which  we  need  to  devote  so  much 
of  our  space  to  the  cruel  treatment  of  our  women,  we  think  it  proper  to 
include  a  communication  from  the  venerable  Dr.  Sill,  one  of  the  most 
esteemed  and  well-known  citizens  of  Columbia.  It  is  from  his  own  pen, 
and  tlic  facts  occurred  under  his  own  eyes.  We  give  this  as  one  of  a 
thousand  like  cases,  witnessed  by  a  tliousaud  eyes,  and  taking  place  at  the 
same  time  in  every  quarter  of  the  city,  almost  from  the  hour  of  the  arrival 
of  the  army  to  that  of  its  departure.     He  writes  as  follows  : 

"On  Thursday,  the  day  before  the  evacuation  of  the  city  by  the  Con- 
federate forces,  I  invited  a  very  poor  Frencli  lady,  (Madame  Pelletier,) 
Avith  her  child,  refugees  from  Charleston,  to  take  .shelter  in  my  house, 
where  they  might,  at  least,  have  such  protection  as  T  could  give  her,  shelter 
and  food  for  herself  and  child.  She  was  poor,  indeed,  having  very  little 
clothing,  and  only  one  or  two  implements — a  sewing  machine  and  a  crimp- 
ing apparatus — by  means  of  which  she  obtained  a  precarious  support. 
My  own  family  (happily)  and  servants  being  all  absent,  and  l)eing  myself 
wholly  incapacitated  by  years  of  sickness  from  making  any  exertion,  alj 
that  the  poor  widow  woman  and  myself  could  remove  from  my  house, 
besides  the  few  things  of  hers,  consisted  of  two  bags  of  flour,  a  peck  of 
meal,  and  about  the  same  of  gi'ist,  and  about  thirty  pounds  of  bacon  and 
a  little  sugar.  These  few  things  we  managed  to  get  out  of  the  house,  and, 
by  the  aid  of  a  wheelbarrow,  removed  about  fifty  yards  from  tUe  burning 
buildings.  Waiting  then  and  there,  waiting  anxiously  the  progress  and 
direction  of  the  tire,  we  soon  found  that  we  had  been  robbed  of  one  bag 
of  flour  and  a  trunk  of  valuable  books  of  account  and  papers.  The  fii*e 
continuing  to  advance  on  us,  we  found  it  necessary  to  remove  again. 
About  this  time,  there  came  up  a  stalwart  soldier,  about  six  feet  high, 
accoutred  with  pistols.  Bowie-knife,  &.C.,  and  stooping  down  over  the 
remaining  bag  of  flour,  demanded  of  the  ]X)or  French  lady  what  the  bag 
contained.     Having  lost,  but  a  few  moments  before,  almost  evei-ything 


DESTEUCTION  OF  COLUMBLi.  27- 

she  had  in  the  way  of  provisions,  she  seemed  most  deeply  and  keenly  alive 
to  her  destitute  situation,  in  the  event  she  should  lose  the  remaining  bag 
of  flour ;  the  last  and  only  hope  of  escape  from  starvation  of  her  child 
and  herself.  She  fell  uj^ou  her  knees,  with  hands  ni-)lifted,  in  a  supplicat- 
ing manner,  and  most  jjiteously  and  imploringly  set  forth  her  situation— 
an  apijeal  which,  under  the  circumstances,  it  would  be  impossible  to  con" 
ceive,  more  touching  or  heart-rending.  She  told  him  she  was  not  here  of 
her  own  choice  ;  that  herself  and  husband  had  come  to  Charleston  in  18C0 
to  better  their  fortunes  ;  that  they  had  been  domiciled  in  New  Jersey, 
where  her  husband  had  taken  the  necessary  steps  to  become  a  citizen  of 
the  United  States.  She  had  in  her  hand  his  jiapers  vouching  the  truth  of 
her  statement ;  that  her  husband  had  died  of  yellow  fever  in  Charleston  ; 
that  being  unable,  from  want  of  the  means,  to  return  to  New  Jersey,  she 
had  been  driven  from  Charleston  to  Columbia,  (a  refugee,  flying  from  the 
enemy's  shells.)  to  try  to  make  an  honest  support  for  herself  and  child. 
To  all  this,  he  not  only  turnetl  a  deaf  ear,  but  deliberately  drew  from  his 
breast  a  huge  shining  Bowie-knife,  brandished  it  in  her  face,  rudely  pushed 
her  aside,  using,  at  the  same  time,  the  most  menacing  and  obscene  lan- 
guage ;  shouldered  the  bag  of  flour,  and  marched  off,  leaving  the  poor 
starving  creature,  vntii  her  heljiless  child,  overwhelmed  with  grief  and 
despair.  E.  SILL." 

This  surely  is  very  piteous  to  hear,  and  were  the  case  an  isolated  one,  it 
would  probably  move  compassion  in  every  heart  ;  but  Avhere  the  miseries 
of  like  and  worse  sort,  of  a  whole  community  of. twenty  thousand,  are 
massed,  as  it  were,  together  before  the  eyes,  the  sensibilities  become 
obtuse,  and  the  universal  sufi'ei'iug  seems  to  destroy  the  sensibilities  in  all. 
We  shall  not  .seek  to  multiply  instances  like  the  foregoing,  which  would  be 
an  endless  work  and  to  little  proflt. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

OENEEAIi   SHERMAN    ON   FOBAGING. 


General  Sherman  teUs  General  Hampton  that,  could  he  find  any  civil 
authority,  and  could  they  provide  hini  with  forage  and  provisions,  he 
would  sufler  no  foraging  upon  the  people.  His  logic  and  memory  are 
equally  deficient.  Was  there  no  Mayor  and  Council  in  Columbia  '?  They 
bftd  formally  swTej^dered  the  cit^  into  his  hands.    They  eouatituted  the 


28  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 

civil  authority  ;  but  ho  made  iio  rc(iuisitiou  upon  them  for  provisions  for 
his  troojis.  He  did  not  say  to  them,  ''Suiiplyme  with  twenty  thousand 
rations  in  so  many  hoiu's."  Had  ho  done  so,  the  rations  would  have  been 
forthcoming.  The  citizens  would  have  been  only  too  glad,  by  yielding  up 
one-half  of  their  stores,  to  have  saved  the  other  half,  and  to  have  preserved 
their  dwellings  from  the  presence  of  the  soldiers.  Nay,  did  not  the 
in-dwellers  of  every  house — wci  Avill  say  five  thousand  houses— seek  at  his 
hands  a  sijecial  guard — which  usually  consisted  of  two  men — and  were  not 
these  fed  wholly  by  the;  families  where  thoy  lodged  during  the  whole  time 
of  their  sta;s'  ?  Here,  by  a  very  simijle  computation,  we  find  that  ten 
thousand  soldiers  were  thus  voluntarily  provided  with  rations  ;  and  a 
requisition  for  twenty  thousand  men  might  easily  and  would  probably  have 
been  provided,  had  any  such  been  made  ;  for  the  supplies  in  the  city  were 
abundant  of  every  sort — the  population  generally  having  laid  in  largely, 
and  without  stint  or  limit,  anticijiating  a  i)eriod  nf  general  scarcity  from 
the  march  of  the  enemy. 

But,  even  had  the  people  been  unable  to  supply  these  provisions — even 
had  the  Council  failed  to  resjiond  to  these  requisitions — at  whose  doors 
should  the  blame  be  laid  '?  The  failure  would  have  been  the  direct  conse- 
quences of  Grenoral  Sherman's  own  proceedings.  Had  he  not  ravaged  and 
swept,  witli  a  bosom  of  lire,  all  the  tracts  of  countiy  upon  Avhicli  the  peo- 
ple of  Columbia  depended  for  their  supplies  ?  Had  ho  not,  himself,  (Jut 
off  all  means  of  transportation,  in  the  destruction,  not  only  of  the  rail- 
ways, but  of  every  wagon,  cart,  vehicle,  on  all  the  plantations  through 
which  he  had  jjassed — carrying  off  all  the  beasts  of  burden  of  any  value, 
and  cutting  the  throats  of  the  remainder  ?  He  cuts  off  the  feet  and  arms 
of  a  people,  and  then  demands  that  they  shall  bring  him  food  and  forage  ! 

But  even  this  i^retext,  if  well  grounded,  can  avail  him  nothing.  He  Avas 
suffering  from  no  sort  of  necessity.  It  was  the  boast  of  every  officer  and 
soldier  in  his  army,  that  he  had  fed  fat  upon  the  country  through  which  he 
had  passed  ;  everywhere  finding  abundance,  and  had  not  once  felt  the 
necessity  of  lifting  the  cover  from  his  own  wagons,  and  feeding  from  his 
own  accumulated  stores.  But  the  complaint  of  Hampton,  and  of  our 
people  at  large,  is  not  that  he  fed  his  followers  upon  the  country,  but  that 
he  destroyed  what  he  did  not  need  for  food,  and  tore  the  bread  from  the 
famishing  mouths  of  a  hundred  thousand  women  and  children — feeble 
infancy  and  decrepit  age, 


DESTBUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  29 


CHAPTEIl   XIY. 

OUTKAGES  ON   NEGKO   WOMEN — X  LADY    IN    ('HIIiD-BE£>  FlilGHTENED  TO  DEATH — 
FATHEKS    PKOTEOTING   THEIR   DAtTGHTERS — A   NEW    USE   FOR.  PARLORS. 

Wo  have  adverted  to  the  (.)ntrages  whieh  were  perpetrated  within  the 
households  of  tlie  eitizen,  wliere,  mirestraiued  by  the  rebuking  eyes  of 
their  own  comrades,  and  unresisted  by  their  interposition,  cupidity, 
malignity  and  lust,  sought  to  glut  their  several  appetites.  The  cupidity 
generally  triumphed  over  the  lust.  The  greed  for  gold  and  silver  swallowed 
up  the  more  animal  jiassions,  and  drunkenness  supervened  in  season  for 
the  safety  of  n\any. 

We  have  heard  of  some  few  outrages,  or  attempts  at  outrage,  of  the 
worst  sort,  but  the  instances,  in  the  case  of  Avhite  femahs,  must  liave  been 
very  few.  There  was,  perhaps,  a  wholesome  dread  of  goading  to  despera- 
tion the  people  Avhom  they  had  despoiled  of  all  but  honor.  They  could 
see,  in  many  watchful  and  guardian  eyes,  the  lui'kiug  expression  whieh 
threatened  sharp  vengeance,  should  their  tresspasses  proceed  to  those 
extremes  which  they  yet  uncpiestionably  contemplated. 

The  venerable  Mr.  H stood  ready,  with  liis  t'ouieati  de  diasse,  made  bare 

in  his  bosom,  hovering  around  the  persons  of  his  iimocent  daughters. 
Mr.  O — ~,  on  beholding  some  too  familiar  approach  to  oiie  of  his  daughters, 
bade  the  man  stand  off  at  the  peril  of  his  life  ;  saying  that  while  he 
submitted  to  be  robbed  of  pro])erty,  he  would  saoritiee  life  without  reserve 
— his  own  and  fliat  of  tin'  assailant — before  his  eliild's  honor  should  be 
abused. 

Mr.  James  G.  (xibbes  with  uillieulty,  pistolin  hand,  and  only  with  the 
assistance  of  a  Yankee  officer,  rescued  two  young  women  from  the  clutches 
of  as  many  ruffians. 

We  have  been  told  of  successful  outrages  of  this  unmentionable  charac- 
ter being  practiced  upon  women  dwelling  in  the  suburbs.  Many  are 
understood  to  have  taken  place  in  remote  country  settlements,  and  two 
cases  are  described  where  young  negresses  were  brutally  forced  by  the 
wretches  and  afterwards  murdered — one  of  them  being  thvust,  when  half 
dead,  head  down,  into  a  mud  ])ud(lle,  nnd  there  lielcl  \vi\M\  sjie  y{m  svift'Qr 
eatud.     Bui  this  jiuiat  suffice, 


30  DBSTRUCTIOX  OF  COLUIMBIA. 

The  shocking  details  shoiilcl  not  now  be  made,  but  that  we  need,  for  the 
sake  of  truth  and  humanity,  to  put  on  record  the  horrid  deeds.  And  yet. 
we  should  grossly  err  if,  while  showingthe  forbearance  of  the  soldiers  in 
res])ect  to  our  irhitr  women,  wo  .should  convoy  to  any  innocent  reader  the 
notion  that  tlu-y  exliibited  a  like  forbearance  in  the  case  of  the  black.  The 
poor  Uf'groes  were  terribly  victimized  by  their  assailants,  many  of  them, 
besides  the  instance  mentioned,  being  left  in  a  condition  little  short  of 
death.  Regiments,  in  successive  relays,  subjected  scores  of  these  poor 
women  to  the  torture  of  their  embraces,  and — Init  we  dare  not  further 
pursue  the  subjci^t.  There  are  some  horrors  Avhich  the  historian  dare  not 
pursue — which  tlie  painter  dare  not  delineate.  They  both  drop  the  curtain 
«>ver  crimes  which  humanity  bk-eds  to  contemplate. 

8ome  incidents  of  gross  brutality,  Avhich  show  how  well  prepared  were 
these  men  for  every  crime,  however  monstrous,  may  be  given. 

A  lady,  undergoing  the  pains  of  labor,  had  to  be  borne  out  on  a  mattress 
into  the  ojien  air,  to  escajie  the  fire.  It  was  in  vain  that  her  situation  was 
described  as  the  soldiers  applied  the  torch  within  and  without  the  house, 
after  they  had  penetrated  every  chamber  and  robbed  them  of  all  that  was 
either  valuable  (jr  portalile.  They  beheld  the  situittion  of  the  suflferer, 
and  laughed  to  scorn  the  prayer  for  her  safety. 

Another  lady,  Mrs.    J ,  Avas  but  recently   confined.     Her  condition 

was  very  helpless.  Her  life  hung  upon  a  hair.  The  men  Avere  ajjprised  of 
all  the  facts  in  the  case.  They  burst  into  the  chamber — took  the  rings 
from  the  hidy's  lingers— plucked  the  watch  from  l)eneath  her  pillow,  and 
SO  overwhelmed  her  with  terror,  that  she  sunk  under  the  treatment — sur- 
yiving  their  departure  but  a  day  or  t\v  o. 

In  several  instances,  parlors,  articles  of  crockery,  and  even  beds,  Avere 
uped  by  the  soldiers  as  if  they  Avere  Avater  closets.  In  one  case,  a  pai'ty 
used  vessels  in  this  Avay,  then  put  them  on  the  bed,  fired  at  and  smashed 
them  to  pieces,  enii)tying  the  tilthy  contents  over  the  bedding. 

In  several  cases,  neAvly  made  graves  were  opened,  the  coflins  taken  out, 
broken  open,  in  search  of  buried  treasure,  and  the  corpses  left  exposed. 
Every  spot  in  grave-yard  or  garden,  Avhich  seemed  to  have  been  recently 
disturbed,  Avas  sounded  Avith  SAvord,  or  bayonet,  or  ramrod,  in  their  despe- 
rate search  after  s>  oil. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBL\.  3L 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE     DEAD     DOG — GENEBAL      SHEKM.VN's      AaSURANCE     TO     THE     SIAYOB — THE 

SIGNAIi    ROCKETS. 

In  this  gravo  connection,  Ave  have  to  narrate  a  somewhat  piotxiresque 
transaction,  less  harsh  of  character  and  less  tragic,  and  preserving  a  some- 
what redeeming  aspect  to  the  almost  uniform  brutality  of  our  foes.  Mr.  M. 
M.  C had  a  guai-d  given  him  for  his  home,  who  not  only  proved  faith- 
ful to  their  trust,  but  showed  themselves  gentle  and  unobtrusive.  Their 
comrades,  in  large  numbers,  were  encamiied  on  the  adjoining  and  vacant 
lands.  These  latter  penetrated  his  grounds,  breaking  their  way  through 
t)ie  fences,  and  it  was  not  possible,  wliere  there  were  so  many,  to  prevent 
their  aggression  entirely.  The  guard  kei^t  them  out  of  the  dwelling,  and 
preserved  its  contents.  They  were  not  merely  civil,  but  amiised  the  chil- 
dren of  the  family  ;  played  with  tliem,  .sympathized  in  their  fun,  and 
contributed  to  their  little  sjjorts  in  sundry  ways.  The  children  owned  a 
pretty  little  pet,  a  grey-hound,  wliich  was  one  of  the  most  interesting  of 
their  sources  of  enjoyment.  The  soldiers,  without,  seemed  to  remark  this 
play  of  the  guard  with  the  children  and  dog  with  discontent  and  displea- 
sure. They  gave  several  indications  of  a  morose  temper  in  regard  to  them, 
and,  no  doubt,  they  con.sidered  the  guard  with  hostility,  per  se,  as  guard, 
and  because  of  their  faithful  protection  of  the  family.  At  length,  their 
displeasure  prompted  one  of  them  to  take  an  .ictive  but  cruel  part  in  the 
pastimes  of  the  children.  Gathering  up  a  stone,  he  watched  his  moment, 
and  approaching  the  groujj,  where  they  were  at  play,  suddenly  dashed  out 
the  brains  of  the  little  dog,  at  the  very  feet  of  the  children.  They  were 
ten-ibly  frightened,  pf  coui-se,  at  this  cruel  exhibition  of  power  and  malig- 
nity. Their  grief  followed  in  bitter  lamentations  and  tears.  To  soothe 
them,  the  soldiers  of  the  guard  took  up  the  remains  of  the  dog,  dug  for  it 
a  gi'ave  in  one  of  the  flower  beds  of  the  garden,  tenderly  laid  it  in  the 
earth,  and  raised  a  mound  over  it,  precisely  as  if  it  had  been  a  human 
child.     A  stake  at  the  head  and  feet  rendered  the  proceeding  complete. 

That  night,  Mr.  C ,  returning  home,  his  wife  remarked  to  him  : 

"We  have  lost  our  silver.  It  was  Iniried  in  the  very  spot  whore  these 
men  have  buried  the  dog.     Thev  have  no  doubt  found  it,  and  it  is  lost  to 


^  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBL\. 

It  was  impossible  then  to  attempt  auy  search  for  the  relief  of  their 
anxiety,  until  the  departure  of  the  troops.  AMien  they  had  gone,  how- 
ever, the  search  was  eagerly  made,  and  the  buried  treasure  found  untouched. 
But  the  escape  was  a  narrow  one.  The  cavity  made  for  the  body  of  the 
dog  api)roached  within  a  few  inches  the  box  of  silver. 

Mayor  Goodwyn  also  saved  a  portion  of  his  plate  through  the  fidelity  vi 
his  guard.  But  he  lost  his  dwelling  and  evorything  besides.  We  believe 
tliat,  iu  every  instance  where  the  guard  proved  faithful,  they  were  Western 
men.  They  professed  to  revolt  at  the  spectacles  of  crime  which  they  were 
compelled  to  witness,  and  pleaded  the  necessity  of  a  blind  obedience  to 
orders,  in  justification  of  their  share  of  the  horrors  to  which  they  lent 
their  hands.  Just  before  the  conflagration  began,  about  the  dusk  of 
evening,  while  the  Mayor  was  conversing  Avith  one  of  the  Western  men, 
from  Iowa,  three  rockets  were  shot  up  by  the  enemy  from  the  capitol 
square.     As  the  soldier  beheld  these  rockets,  he  cried  out : 

"Alas  !  alas  !  for  your  poor  city  !  It  is  doomed.  Those  rockets  are  th^, 
signal.     The  town  is  to  be  fired." 

In  less  than  twenty  minutes  after,  the  flamf^'.s  In'oke  out  in  twenty  distinct 
quarters.  Similar  statements  were  made  liy  other  soldiers  in  difierent 
quarters  of  the  citv. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

THE   .STREETS   OP   THE   flTY — THE   (  HURCHES   r'IRED — SIDNEY   PARK. 

Of  the  conflagration  itself,  we  have  already  given  a  sufficient  idea,  so  far 
as  words  may  serve  for  the  description  of  a  scene  which  beggars  art  and 
langTiage  to  portray.  We  have  also  shown,  in  st^me  degree,  the  usual 
course  of  proceedure  among  the  soldiers  ;  how  they  fifed  the  dweJliug  as 
they  i)illaged  ;  how  they  abused  and  outraged  the  iu-dwellers  ;  how  they 
mocked  at  sufl'ering,  scorned  the  pleadings  of  women  and  innocence. 

As  tlie  liames  sjn'ead  from  house  to  house,  you  could  behold,  through 
long  A-istas  of  the  lurid  emi^ire  of  flames  and  gloom,  the  miserable  tenants 
of  the  once  peaceful  home  issuing  forth  in  dismay,  bearing  the  chattels 
most  useful  or  precious,  and  seeking  escape  through  the  narrow  channels 
Avhich  the  flames  left  them  only  in  the  centre  of  the  streets.  Fortunately, 
the  streets  of  Columbia  are  very  wide,  and  greatly  protected  by  umbrage- 
ous trees,  set  in  regular  order,  and  which,  during  the  vernal  season,  confer 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  33 

upon  the  city  one  of  its  most  beautiful  features.  But  for  tliis  width  of 
its  passages,  thousands  must  have  been  burned  to  death. 

These  families  moved  in  long  procession,  the  aged  sire  or  grand-sire  first 
— a  sad,  worn  and  tottering  man,  walking  steadily  on,  with  rigid,  set 
features  and  tearless  eyes — too  much  stricken,  too  much  stunned,  for  any 
ordinary  shows  of  suffering.  Perhajis,  the  aged  wife  hung  upon  one  arm, 
while-  the  other  was  supported  by  a  daughter.  And  huddling  close,  hke 
terrified  laartridges,  came  the  young,  each  bearing  some  little  bundle — alj 
pressing  forAvard  under  the  lead  of  the  sire,  and  he  witless  where  to  gc. 
The  ascending  fire-spouts  flamed  before  them  on  every  hand — shouts 
assailed  them  at  every  step — the  drunken  soldiers  danced  around  them  as 
they  went,  piercing  their  ears  with  horrid  threats  and  imprecations.  The 
little  bundles  were  snatched  from  tlie  grasp  of  their  trembling  bearers,  torn 
open,  and  what  Was  not  appropriated,  was  hurled  into  the  contiguous  pile 
of  flame.  And  group  after  group,  stream  after  stream  of  fugitives  thus 
pursued  their  way  through  the  jciths  of  flaming  and  howling  horror,  only 
too  glad  to  fling  themselves  on  the  open  ground,  whither,  in  some  cuse.", 
they  had  succeeded  in  conveying  a  feather  bed  or  mattress.  The  malls,  cr 
open  squares,  the  centres  of  the  wide  streets,  like  Assembly  street,  weie 
thus  strewn  with  piles  of  bedding,  on  which  lay  exhausted  mothers — some 
6t  them  with  anxious  physicians  in  attendance,  and  girdled  by  crouchiug 
children  and  infants,  wild  and  almost  idiotic  with  their  terrors.  In  one 
case,  as  we  have  mentioned,  a  woman  about  to  become  a  mother  was  thus 
borne  out  from  a  burning  dwelling. 

It  was  scarcely  possible  to  advise  in  Avhich  direction  to  fly.  The 
churches  were  at  first  sought  by  manj^  several  streams  of  population.  But 
these  were  found  to  afi"ord  no  security— the  churches  of  God  were  set  on 
flame.  Again  driven  forth,  numbers  made  their  way  into  the  recesses  of 
Sidney  Pai'k,  and  here  fancied  to  find  security,  as  but  few  houses  occupied 
the  neighborhood,  and  these  not  sufficiently  high  to  lead  to  apprehension 
from  the  flames.  But  fii'e-balls  were  thrown  from  the  heights  into  the 
deepest  hollows  of  the  park,  and  the  wretched  fugitives  were  forced  to 
scatter,  finding  their  way  to  other  places  of  retreat,  and  finding  none  of 
them  secure. 


34  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBL\. 


CHAPTER  XYII. 

THE  NT'N.S  LEAVrSG  THE  CONVENT — ^FEDERAL,  OFFICERS  PROTECT  THEM — A  NIGHT 
IN  A  GRAVE-YARD — REV.  L,.   P.   o'cONNELLi's  STATEMENT. 

One  of  these  mournful  processions  of  fugitives  Avas  tliat  of  the  sister- 
hood of  the  Convent,  the  nnns  and  their  pupils.  Beguiled  to  the  last 
moment  bj  the  promises  and  assurances  of  officers  and  others  in  Sherman's 
army,  the  Mother  Superior  had  clung  to  her  house  to  the  last  possible 
moment.  It  was  not  merely  a  home,  l)ut  in  some  degi-ee  a  temple,  and,  to 
the  professors  of  one  church  at  least,  a  shrine.  It  had  been  chosen,  as  we 
have  seen,  as  the  i:>lace  of  refuge  for  many  of  other  churches.  Much 
treasure  had  been  lodged  in  it  for  safe  keeping,  and  the  Convent  had  a 
considerable  treasure  of  its  own.  It  was  liberally  and  largely  furnished, 
not  only  as  a  domain,  but  as  an  academy  of  the  highest  standard.  It 
was  complete  in  all  the  agencies  and  material  for  such  an  academy, 
and  for  the  accommodation  of  pei'hajjs  two .  hundred  pupils.  Among 
these  agencies  for  education  were  no  less  than  seventeen  pianos.  The 
liarj),  the  guitar,  the  globe,  the  maj^s,  desks,  benches,  bedding  and 
clothing,  were  all  sujiplied  on  a  scale  of  equal  amplitude.  The  estab- 
lishment also  possessed  some  fine  pictures,  original  and  from  the  first 
masters.  The  removal  of  these  was  impossible,  and  hence  the  reluctance 
of  the  Mother  Superior  to  leave  her  house  was  sufficiently  iiatural.  As- 
sured, besides,  of  safety,  she  remained  until  further  delay  would  have 
jierilled  the  safety  of  her  inrocent  and  numerous  flock.  This  lady  mar- 
shalled her  procession  with  great  good  sense,  coolness  and  decision.  They 
were  instructed  to  secure  the  clothes  most  suitable  to  their  protection  from 
the  weather,  and  to  take  with  th3m  those  valuables  which  wei-e  portable  ; 
and,  accompanied  by  Rev.  Dr.  O'Connell  and  others,  the  damsels  filed  on, 
under  the  lead  of  their  Superior,  through  long  tracts  of  fire,  burning  roofs, 
tumbling  walls,  wading  tlirough  billows  of  flame,  and  taking,  at  first,  the 
pathway  to  St.  Peter's  (Catholic)  Church.  Blinding  fires  left  them  almost 
aimless  in  their  march  ;  but  they  succeeded  in  reaching  the  desired  point 
in  safety.  Here,  on  strijjs  of  bedding,  quilts  and  coverlets,  the  young 
girls  found  repose,  protecled  by  tha  vigiLmce  of  a  few  gentlemen,  their 
priest,  and,  we  believe,  by  two  officers  of  the  Yankee  army,  whose  names 


DESTKUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  35 

are  given  as  Colonel  Corley  and  Dr.  Galaghau.  To  these  gentlemen,  both 
Catholic  Irish,  the  Mother  Suj^erior  acknowledges  her  gi'eat  indebtedness. 
They  had  need  of  all  the  watch  and  vigilance  of  these  persons.  It  was 
soon  found  that  several  soldiers  followed  them  in  their  flight,  and  were 
making  attem^Dts  to  fire  the  edifice  on  several  sides.  These  attempts, 
repeatedly  batiled  and  as  often  renewed,  showed  at  length  so  tenacious  a 
purpose  for  its  destruction,  that  it  was  thought  best  to  leave  the  building 
and  seek  refuge  in  the  church-yard,  and  there,  in  the  cold  and  chill,  and 
among  the  grave-stones  with  the  dead,  these  terrified  living  ones  remained, 
trembhng  watchers  through  the  rest  of  this  dreary  night. 

The  Presbyterian  grave-yard  had  a  number  of  families  quartered  in  it  for 
several  days  after  the  destruction  of  the  city.  Aged  ladies  and  young  chil- 
di-en  wei-e  also  exposed  in  oi)en  lois  until  after  the  Federals  left  the  city. 

We  here  borrow  freely  from  a  communication  made  by  the  Kev  Lawrence 
P.  O'Connell  to  the  Catholic  Pacificator.  He  so  fully  reports  the  fate  of 
St.  Mary's  CoUege,  that  nothing  need  be  added  to  it.  We  have  simply 
abridged  such  portions  of  his  statement  as  might  be  dispensed  with  in  this 
connection  : 

"St.  Mary's  College,  founded  in  1852,  by  the  Ecv.  J.  J.  O'Connell, 
Pastor  of  the  Catliolics  in  Columbia,  was  robbed,  pillaged  and  then  given 
to  the  flames.  The  College  was  a  very  fine  brick  building,  and  capable  of 
accommodating  over  one  hundred  students.  It  had  an  excellent  library 
attached,  which  was  selected  with  great  care,  and  with  no  limited  view  to 
expense.  It  also  possessed  several  magnificent  paintings,  executed  in 
Rome,  and  i^resented  to  the  institution  by  kind  patrons.  Besides  the  pro- 
IDcrty  belonging  to  St.  Mary's  College,  that  of  four  priests,  Avho  were  its 
professors  and  lived  there,  was  also  consumed.  Each,  as  is  always  the 
case  amongst  the  Catholic  clergy,  had  his  individual  collection  of  books, 
paintings,  statuary,  sacred  jsictures,  kc.  Nobody  who  is  not  a  rigorous 
student  and  a  lover  of  literature  can  possibly  realize  the  losses  sustained  by 
these  gentlemen.  Manuscripts  of  rare  value,  notes  taken  from  lectures  of 
the  most  eminent  men  in  Europe  and  America,  Orations,  sermons,  <tc. ,  are 
treasures  not  often  valued  by  the  vulgar,  bi;t  to  the  compiler  they  are 
more  priceless  than  diamonds.  Of  those  who  lost  all  in  St.  Mary's,  three 
are  brothers,  viz  :  Revs.  Jeremiah  J.  O'CouneU,  Lawrence  P.  O'Connell, 
Joseph  P.  O'Connell,  D.  D. ;  and  the  other,  Rev.  Augustus  J.  McNeal." 

The  Post  Chaplain,  the  author  of  the  report  from  which  we  draw,  was 
the  only  clergyman  in  the  College  when  it  was  destroyed.  He  was  made  a 
prisoner,  and,  though  pleading  to  be  allowed  to  save  the  holy  oils,  &c., 
bis  prayer  vas  rejected.      A  sacrilegioxis  sriiiad  drank  their  whiskey  from 


36  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 

the  sacred  clialice.  The  sacred  vestments  and  consecrated  vessels  used 
for  the  celebration  of  the  mass — all  things,  indeed,  pertaining  to  the  exer- 
cise of  sacerdotal  functions — were  profaned  and  stolen.  Of  the  College 
itself,  and  the  property  which  it  contained,  nothing  was  saved  but  the 
massed  ruins,  which  show  where  the  fabric  stood.  The  clergymen  saved 
nothing  beyond  the  garments  which  they  had  upon  theii-  persons. 


CHAPTER  XVni. 

THE  SOUTH  CAKOIiLNA  COLLEGE— V ALU ABIiE  JPBIVATEIiIBK^lKIBS,  E3X!. 

The  destruction  of  private  libraries  and  valuable  collections  of  objects 
of  art  and  vMu,  was  very  large  in  Columbia.  It  was  by  the  urgent  entrea- 
ties of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Porter,  the  professors  and  others,  that  the  >safety  of 
the  South  Carolina  College  library  was  assured.  The  buildings  were  occu- 
pied by  Confederate  hospitals,  where  some  three  hundred  invalids  and 
convalescents  found  harborage. 

In  a  conversation  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Porter,  regarding  the  safety  of  the 
College  Library,  General  Shevroan  indulged  in  a  sneer.  "I  would  rather, " 
said  he,  "give  you  books  than  destroy  them.  I  am  sure  yoiu'  people  need 
them  very  much."  To  this  Mr.  Porter  made  no  reply,  snfferijig  the 
General  to  rave  for  awhile  upon  a  favorite  text  with  him,  the  glories  of  tua 
flag  and  the  perpetuation  of  the  Union,  which  he  solemiily  pledged  himself 
to  maintain  agaii^st  all  the  fates. 

That  his  own  people  did  not  value  books,  in  any  proper  degree,  ma,y  be 
shown  by  their  invariable  treatment  of  libi'a.ries.  These  were  almost 
universally  destroyed,  tumbled  into  the  weather,  the  streets,  gutters, 
hacked  and  hewn  and  tr£j,mpled,  even  when  the  coUectioos  were  of  the 
rarest  value  and  immense  numbers.  Libraries  of  ten  thousand  volumes- 
books  such  as  cannot  again  be  procured — were  sacrificed.  It  will  suffice  to 
illustrate  the  numerous  losses  of  this  sort  in  Columbia,  to  report  tlie  fate 
of  the  fine  collections  of  Dr.  R.  W.  Gibbes.  This  gentleman,  a  man  of 
letters  and  science,  a  virtuoso,  busied  all  bis  life  in  the  accumulation  of 
works  of  arts  and  literature,  and  rare  objects  of  interest  to  the  amateur, 
and  student,  has  been  long  known  to  the  American  world,  North  and 
So'ifch,  in  the  ohaivxciter  of  sx  savant.  Perh;ips  no  other  per.Hou  in.Soath 
CxviUt.!  hi^.m  )r^  dii*:inT^l<'i  'I  hi'n:'^lf  b?  his  soi»a^^iA^  writiu'^^,  and  by 
h'l  <■  Ills'  i!;'.  J I )  )  ^' ' .  >  i,  •  •  I   /  I  .'  I    1. 1 .  ■..•  i'  vl    .  J.  •  .A.  '.>y  i.'.ij  .lo  •;\  m,  il  iii.)a  ^it 


DESTEUOTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  37?" 

preofa  from  the  natural  woi'lftl.    A  friendly  correspondent  gives  us  a  mourn-)! : 
ful  narrative  of  the  disasters  to  his  house,  his  home,  his  manuscripts  and 
his  varioixs  and  valuable  collections,  from  which  we  condense  the  following 
particulars  : 

"Besides  the  fine  mansion  of  Dr.  Gibbes,  and  its  usual  contents  of  fur- 
niture, his  real  estate  on  Main  street,  &c.,  his  scientific  collections  and 
paintings  were  of  immense  value,  occasioning  more  regret  than  could  arise 
from  any  loss  of  mere  proi>erty.  His  gallery  contained  upwards  of  two 
hundred  paintingss,  among  wdiich  Avere  pictures  by  Washington  Allston, 
SuUy,  Inman,  Charles  Fraser  and  DeVeaux  ;  and  many  originals  and 
copies  by  European  hands,  were  highly  i)rized  from  their  intrinsic  excel- 
lence and  interesting  associations.  The  family  portraits  in  the  collection 
were  als|o  numerous — some  ancient,  all  valuable;  and  several  admirable 
busts  graced  his  drawing-room.  His  portfolios  contained  collections  of 
the  best  engravings,  from  the  most  famous  pictures  of  the  old  masters  and 
bj--  the  most  exceilleut  engravers  of  the  age.  These  were  mostly  a  bequest 
from  the  venerable  C.  Fraser,  who  was  one  of  those  who  best  knew  what 
a  gopd  engi-avin^  or  picture  should  be,  and  who  had,  all  his  life,  been 
engaged  in  accumidating  the  most  valuable  illustrations  of  the  progress  of 
art.  Nor  Avas  the  library  of  Dr.  Gibbes  less  ricli  in  stores  of  letters  and 
science,  art  and  medicine.  His  histoi'ical  collection  was  particularly  rich, 
especially  in  American  and  Soiith  Carolina  history.  His  cabinet  of  South- 
ern fossils  and  memorials,  along  with  those  brought  from  the  remotest 
regions,  was  equally  select  and  extensive.  It  contained  no  less  than  ten 
thousand  specimens.  The  collectiQU  of  shark's  teeth  was  i^rouounced  by 
Agassiz  to  be  the  finest  in  the  world.  His  collections  of  historical  docu- 
ments, original  correspondence  of  the  Revolution,  especially  that  of  South 
Carolina,  Avas  exceedingly  large  and  valuable.  From  these  he  had  compiled 
and  edited  three  volumes,  and  had  there  ari'ested  the  publication,  in  order 
to  transfer  his  materiel  to  the  Historical  Society  of  South  Carolina.  Ail 
are  now  lost.  So,  also,  was  his  collection  of  autographs — the  letters  of 
eminent  corresi^ondents  in  every  department  of  letters,  science  and  art. 
Many  relics  of  our  aborigines,  others  from  the  pyramids  and  tombs  of 
Egypt,  of  Herculauenm,  Pompeii  and  Mexico,  with  numerous  memorials 
from  the  Revolutionary  and  recent  battle-tields  of  our  country,  shared  the 
same  fate — are  gone  down  to  the  same  abyss  of  ruin.  The  record.s  of  the 
Surgeon-General's  Department  of  the  State,  from  its  organization,  no 
longer  exist.  The  dwelling  which  contained  these  inestimable  treasures 
w'as  deliberately  fired  by  men,  forAvhose  excuse  no  Avhiskey  influence  could 
be  pleaded.     Tliey  were  quite  as  sober  as  in  a  thousand  other  cases  Avhere 


•38  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBLA.. 

they  sped  with  tlic  torch  of  the  incendian'.  It  was  fired  in  the  ownef^ 
presence,  and  when  he  expostnhited  with  them,  he  was  laughed  to  scorn. 
A  friend  who  souprht  to  extinKuisli  the  tire  kindh^d  in  his  very  park)r,  was 
seized  by  the  coHar  and  hurled  aside,  with  the  ejaculation,  "Let  the  d — d 
house  burn.  ' 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

PROFFEKEX)  ASSISTANCE— THE  T.APY's   PLUME  AND  RIDING  WHIP. 

It  was  one  almost  invariiible  feature  of  the  numerous  melancholy  pro- 
cessions of  fugitive  women  and  children  and  old  men  escaping  from  their 
l)nrning  houses,  to  be  escorted  by  Federal  officers  or  soldiers — as  frequently 
by  the  one  as  by  the  other — who  sometimes  pretended  civility,  and  mixed 
it  up  with  jeering  or  oflFensive  remarks  upon  their  situation.  These  civili- 
ties had  an  ulterior  object.  To  accept  them,  under  the  notion  that  they 
were  tendered  in  good  faith,  was  to  be  robbed  or  insulted.  The  young 
girl  carrying  Avork-box  or  bundle,  who  could  be  persuaded  to  trust  it  to  the 
charge  of  one  of  the  men,  very  often  lost  possession  of  it  wholly. 

"  That  trunk  is  small,  but  it  seems  heavy,"  quoth  one  to  a  young,  lady, 
who,  in  the  jirocessiou  of  the  nuns,  was  cari-yiug  olT  her  mother's  silver. 
'  What's  in  it,  I  wonder  ?    Let  me  carry  it." 

"  No,  thank  you.     My  object  is  to  save  it,  if  I  can." 

"  Well,  I'll  save  it  for  you  ;  let  me  help  you." 

"No  ;  I  need  no  help  of  3'ours,  and  wish  you  to  understand  that  I  mean 
to  save  it,  if  I  can." 

"You  are  too  jsroud,  miss!  but  we'll  humble  you  yet.  You  have  been 
living  in  clover  all  your  life — we'll  bring  you  down  to  the  wash-tub.  Those 
white  hands  shall  be  done  brown  in  the  sun  before  Ave're  done  with  you." 

Officers,  even  ranking  as  high  as  oolonels,  were  found  as  active  in  the 
work  of  insults  and  plunder  as  any  of  their  common  men.  One  of  these 
colonels  came  into  the;  presence  of  a  young  girl,  a  pupil  at  the  C(  nvent, 
and  the  daughter  of  a  distinguished  public  man.  He  wore  in  his  hat  her 
riding  plume,  attached  by  a  small  golden  ornament,  and  in  his  hands  he 
carried  her  riding  whip.     She  calmly  addressed  him  thus  : 

"  I  have  been  robbed,  sir,  of  every  article  of  clothing  and  ornaments; 
even  the  dress  I  wear  is  borrowed.  I  am  resigned  to  their  loss.  iJut  there 
are  some  things  that  I  would  not  willingly  lose.     You  have  in  your  cap  the 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  39 

plume  from  my  riding  hat — you  carry  in  yoiu-  hand  my  riding  -whip.  They 
■were  gifts  to  me  from  a  precious  friend.     I  demand  them  from  you." 

"Oh  !  these  cannot  be  yours — I  have  had  them  a  long  time." 

"  You  never  had  them  before  last  night.  It  was  then  I  lost  them.  They 
are  mine,  and  tlie  gold  ornament  of  the  feather  engraved  with  the  initials 
of  the  giver.     Once  more  I  demand  them  of  you." 

"Well,  I'm  willing  to  f/ire  them  to  you,  if  you'll  accept  them  as  a  keep- 
sake." 

"No,  sir  ;  I  wish  no  keep-.sake  of  your's  ;  I  shall  have  sufficiently  pain- 
ful memories  to  remind  me  of  those  whom  I  could  never  wilhngly  see 
again — whom  I  have  never  wished  to  see." 

"Oh  !  I  rather  guess  you're  right  there,"  -with  a  grin. 

"Will  you  restore  me  my  whip  and  feather  ?" 

"As  a  keep-sake  !     Yes." 

"  No,  sir  ;  as  my  proi^ertj^ — which  you  can  only  wear  as  stolen  property. " 

"I  tell  you,  if  you'll  take  them  as  a  keep-sake  from  me,  you  shall  have 
them." 

"You  must  then  keep  them,  sir — happy,  perhaps,  that  you  cannol  blush 
whenever  you  sport  the  plume  or  flourish  the  whip."' 

And  he  boi'e  oft'  the  treasures  of  the  damsel. 

In  these  connections,  oaths  of  the  most  blasphemous  kiud  were  rarely 
foreborne,  even  wlieu  their  talk  was  had  with  females.  The  troops  had  a 
large  faith  in  Sherman's  generalship.  One  of  their  lieutenants  is  reported 
to  have  said  :  "  He's  all  hell  at  flanking.  He'd  flank- God  Almighty  out  of 
Heaven  and  the  devil  into  hell." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  CATHEDRAL — "  THE  WAR  TTPON  WOMEN  " — CURIOfS  HOISE-BrrLDING — THE 
STAYS  IN  THE  WRONG  PLACE. 

But  this  is  enough  on  this  topic,  and  we  must  plead  the  exactions  of 
truth  and  the  necessities  of  historical  e^•idence,  to  justify  us  in  repeating 
and  recording  such  monstrous  blasphemies.  We  shall  hereafter,  from 
other  hands,  be  able  to  report  some  additional  dialogues  held  with  the 
women  of  Columbia,  by  some  of  the  Federal  officers.  Of  their  temper, 
one  or  two  more  brief  anecdotes  will  suffice. 

The  Convent,  among  its  other  possessions,  had  a  very  beautiful  model 


40  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBL\. 

of  the  Cathedral,  of  Charleston.  This  occupied  a  place  iu  the  Convent 
gi-ouud.  It  was  believed  to  have  been  destroyed  by  the  soldiers.  One  of 
the  nuns  lamented  its  fate  to  the  Mother  Superior,  in  the  presence  of 
Colonel  TavlU,  (?)  an  aid  of  one  of  the  generals.  He  muttered  bitterly, 
"  Yes  ;  it  is  rightly  served  ;  and  I  could  Avish  the  same  fate  to  befall  every 
cathedral  in  wliich  7V  Deunt  has  been  performed  at  the  do-nnfnll  of  our 
glorious  flag." 

A  gentleman  was  e.xpressing  to  one  of  the  Federal  generals  the  fate  of 
the  Convent,  and  speaking  of  the  losses,  especially  of  the  Lady  Superior, 
he  replied  dryly  :  "  It  is  not  forgotten  that  this  lady  is  the  sister  of  Bishop 
Lynch,  who  had  Te  Deum  performed  in  his  cathedral  at  the  fall  of  Fort 
Sumter." 

A  lady  of  this  city  .spoke  iudignnntly  to  General  Atkins,  of  Sherman's 
army,  and  said  of  that  general,   "  He  wars  upon  women  !" 

"Yes, "said  Atkins,  "  and  justly.  It  is  the  women  of  the  South  who 
keep  np  this  cursed  rebellion.  It  gave  us  the  greatest  satisfaction  to  see 
those  proud  Georgia  women  begging  crnml)s  from  Yankee  leavings  ;  and 
this  Avill  soon  be  the  fate  of  all  yon  Carolina  women." 

Escortin;^  a  sad  procession  of  fugitives  from  the  burning  dwellings,  one 
of  the  soldiers  said  : 

"  WTiat  a  glorious  sight  !" 

"Terribly  so,"  said  one  of  the  ladies. 

"  Oi*and  !"  said  he. 

"Very  pitiful,"  was  the  reply. 

Tlie  lady  added  : 

' '  How,  as  men,  you  can  behold  the  horrors  of  this  scene,  and  behold 
the  sufferings  of  these  innocents,  without  terrible  pangs  of  self-condemna- 
tion and  self-loathing,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive." 

"  We  glory  in  it  !"  was  the  answer.  "I  tell  you,  madam,  that  when  the 
people  of  the  North  hear  of  the  vengeance  we  have  meted  out  to  your 
city,  there  will  be  one  universal  shout  of  rejoicing  from  man,  woman  and 
child,  from  Maine  to  Maryland." 

"You  are,  then,  sir,  only  a  fitting  representative  of  your  peojjle." 

Another,  who  had  forced  himself  as  an  escort  upon  a  party,  on  the 
morning  of  Saturday,  said,  jsointing  to  the  thousand  stacks  of  chimneys, 
"You  are  a  cui'ious  people  here  in  honse-liuilding.  You  run  up  yoar 
ehinmeys  before  you  build  the  house." 

One  who  had  been  similarly  impudent,  said  to  a  mother,  who  was  bear- 
ing a  child  iu  her  arms  : 

"Let  me  cajry  the  Vmby,  madam." 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  41 

"Donottoncli  him  for  your  life,"  was  the  reply.  "I  would  sooner 
hurl  him  into  the  flames  and  plunge  in  after  him  than  that  he  should  be 
polluted  by  your  touch.  Nor  shall  a  child  of  mine  ever  have  even  the 
show  of  obligation  to  a  Yankee  !"' 

"Well,  that's  going  it  strong,  by ;  but  I  like  yoiir  pluck.     We  like 

it  d — e  ;  and  you'll  sec  us  coming  back  after  the  war — every  man  of  us — 
to  get  a  Carolina  wife.  Wo  hate  your  men  like  h — 1,  but  we  love  your 
Avomen  !"' 

"We  much  prefer  your  hate,  even  though  it  comes  in  tire.  Will  you 
leave  us,  sir  ?" 

It  was  not  always,  however,  that  our  women  were  able  to  preserve  their 
coolness  and   firmness   under  the  assaults.     AVe   have   quite  an  amusing 
story  of  a  luckless  wife,  v.ho  was  confronted  by  a  stalwart  soldier,  with  a 
hoiTid  oatli  and  a  cocked  revolver  at  her  heail. 
;  ,  "Your  watch  !  your  money  !  you  d — d  rebel  b — h  !" 

The  horrid  oaths,  the  sudden  demand,  fierce  look  and  rapid  action,  so 
terrified  her  that  she  cried  out,  "Oh!  my  G— d!  I  have  no  watch,  no 
money,  except  what's  tied  round  my  waist !" 

We  need  not  say  how  deftly  the  EoMie-knife  was  applied  to  loose  the 
stays  of  the  lady. 

(She  was  then  taught,  for  the  first  time  in  her  life,  that  ihc  stays  were 
wrongly  placed.     They  should  have  been  ui^on  her  tongue. 

In  all  their  conversation,  the  officers  exhibited  a  very  bombastic  manner, 
and  their  exaggerations  of  their  strength  and  performances  great  and 
frequent.  On  their  first  arrival  they  claimed  generally  to  have  sixty 
thousand  men  ;  in  a  few  hours  after,  the  number  was  swollen  to  seventy- 
live  thousand ;  by  night,  it  had  reached  one  hundred  thousand ;  and  on 
Saturday,  the  day  after,  they  claimed  to  have  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
thousand.  We  have  ah'eady  estimated  the  real  number  at  forty  thousand — 
total  cavalry,  infantry  and  artillery. 


CHAPTER    XXT. 

THE  SOUTH  CABOLINA  COLLEGE — DANGER  FROM  FALLING  SPARKS — EXCITEMENT 
AMONG  THE  INMATES — DRUNKEN  CAVALRY — A  FEDERAL  OFFICER  DOING  HIS 
DUTY — THE  LEGISLATIVE  LIBRARY. 

We  have  already  passingly  adverted  to  the  difficulty  of  saving  the  South 
6 


42  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLU]\IBL\. 

Carolina  College  library  from  the  flames,  and  lest  we  should  have  conveyed 
a  false  impression  in  respect  to  the  degree  of  effort  made  in  saving  it,  vre 
give  some  jiarticulars  Avhich  may  l)e  found  of  interest.     We  need  scarctsly 
say  that  the  professors  clung  to  tlieir  sacred  charge  with  a  tenacity  which 
never  once  abandoniHl  it  or  forehore  the  exertions  necessary  for  its  safety  ; 
while  the  officers  of  the  several  hospitals,  to  which  the  College  buildings 
were  generally  given  up,  were  equally  prompt  to  give  their  co-operation. 
Very  soon  after  the  entrance  of  the  Federals  into  the  city.  Dr.  Thompson, 
of  the  hospital,  with  Professors  LaBorde,  Reynolds  and  Rivei-s,  took  tlieir 
l)laces  at  the  gate  of   the  College  C/am]>UR,  and   awaited  their  ajiproaeh. 
Towards  noon,  a  bod}'  of  soldiers,  led  by  a  Captain  Young,  made  their 
appeai'.auce  at  the  gate,  and  the  surgeon,  with  the  professors,  made  a  special 
appeal  to  the  captain   for  the  protection  of   the  library  and  the  College 
biiildings  ;   to  which  he  rej^lied  with  a  solemn  assTirance  that  the  pla<?e 
should  be  si^ared,  and  that  he  woTild  station  a  sufficient  guard  within  and 
without  the  walls.     He  remarked,  with  some  surprise,  upon  the  gTcat  size 
of  the  enclosure  and  establishment.    Th(>  guard  Avas  placed,  and  no  serious 
occasion  for  alarm  was  experienced  throughout  the  day  ;    but,   from  an 
early  hour  of  the  night,  the  buildings  began  to  be  endangered  by  showers 
of   sparks   from   contiguous  houses,    which    fell  ujion  their  roofs.     This 
danger  increased  hour  by  hour,  as  the  flames  continued  to  advance,  and 
finally,  the  roofs  of  the  several  dwellings  of  Professors  LaBorde  and  Rivers 
burst  out  in  flames.     Their  families  were  forced  to  fly,  and  it  required  all 
the  efforts  of  professors,  surgecms,  servants,  even  aided  by  a  flle  of  soldiers, 
to  arrest  the  conflagration.     Every  building  within  the  campus  was  thus 
in  danger.     The  destruction  of  any  one  building  would  to  a  certainty  have 
led  to  the  loss  of  all.     The  most  painful  apprehensions  were  quickened 
into  a  sense  of  hon-or,    when   the    feeble  inmates  of  the    hospital  were 
remembered.     There  Avere  numbers  of  noble  soldiers,  brave  Kentuckians 
and  others,  desi^erately  wounded,  to  whom — lacking,  as  the  establishment 
did  at  that  moment,   the  necessary  labor— but  little  assistance  could  be 
rendered.     They  were  required  to  shift  for  themselves,  Avhile  the  few  able- 
bodied  men  within  the  camjaus  Avere  on  the  house-tops  fighting  the  fire. 
The  poor  felloAvs  Avere  to  be  seen  dragging  their  maimed  and  feeble  bodies, 
as  best  they  could,  along  the  floors,  adoAvn  the  stairs,  and  craAvling  out, 
Avith  great  pain  and  labor,  and  by  the  tardiest  process,  into  that  atmos- 
phere of   rtieking  flame,    Avhich  noAV  girdled  the  establishment.     Ottipvs, 
again,  unable  to  leave  their  beds,  resigned  themselves  to  their  fate,    /W© 
can  better  conceive  than  describe  the  terrible  agonies,  to  them,  of  those 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  43 

hours  of  dreadful  anticipation  in  which  they  lay.  Happily,  the  fires  were 
subdued  by  4  in  the  morning  of  Satuixiay. 

But  the  danger,  even  then,  wa.s  not  over.  About  8  A.  M. ,  the  College 
gate  was  assaulted  by  a  band  of  drunken  cavab-y,  one  hundred  and  fifty  or 
more,  bent  upon  penetrating  the  campus,  and  swearing  to  fire  the  build- 
ings. The  officer  in  command  of  the  guard  reported  to  the  professors  that 
his  force  was  not  adequate  to  the  protection  of  the  establfshment,  and  that 
he  was  about  to  be  overwhelmed. 

Professors  LaBorde  and  Rivers,  followed  l)y  Surgeon  Thompson,  at 
once  sped,  in  all  haste,  to  the  headquarters  of  General  Howard,  appealing 
to  him,  in  the  most  passionate  terms,  to  redeem  his  pledge  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  College  and  its  li1)i-ary.  He  promptly  commanded  his  Chief  of 
Stafif,  Colonel  Stone,  to  re^jair  to  the  scene  and  arrest  the  danger.  This — 
revolver  in  hand — he  promptly  did,  and  succeeded  in  disjjorsing  the  incen- 
diaiy  cavalry. 

It  is  with  jirofound  regret  that  we  add  that  the  Legislative  library,  con- 
sisting of  twenty-live  thousand  choice  volumes,  was  wholly  destroyed  in 
the  old  Capitol. 


CHAPTER  XXn. 

THE    MASOKS    AND    ODD    FELLOWS — FRATERNIZATION — THE    f'ROMWELL   SWOBD. 

Among  the  moral  and  charitable  institutions  which  sufi'ered  gi-eatly  in 
the  fire,  were  tlxe  several  Miisouic  bodies.  Tliey  lost  everything,  with 
rare  exceptions ;  houses,  lodges,  regalias,  charts,  charters,  jewels,  and 
eveiy  form  of  implement  and  paraphernalia.  Much  of  this  i)roi)erty  had 
been  accumulated  in  Columbia  from  Cha-rlestou  and  other  places — had 
been  sent  hither  for  safe  keeping.  Their  losses  will  for  a  long  while  be 
wholly  irreparable,  and  cannot  be  repaired,  unless,  indeed,  through  the 
liberality  of  remote  and  wealthy  fraternities  in  other  section.s.  The  furni- 
ture and  jewels  were,  in  the  largest  number  of  cases,  of  the  richest  and 
most  valuable  order,  wholly  of  silver,  and  in  gi'eat  proportion  were  gifts 
and  bec[ue.st3  of  favorite  brothers  who  had  reached  the  highest  rauk.s  in 
the  order.     We  enumerate  the  following  lodges  as  the  chief  sufferers  : 

1.  Richland  Lodge  No.  39,  A.  •.    F.  •.    M.  ■. 

2.  Acacia  Lodge  No.  94,    A.  •.    F.  •.    M. '. 

3.  True  Brotherhooa  Lodge  No.  Sil,  A.'.   'P.:   M.-, 


44  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 

[These  all  met  iu  Columbia.  ] 

1.  Union  Kilwinning  No.  4,    A.  •.    F.  •.    M.  *. 

5.   Orange  No.  U,    A.  •.    F.  •.    M.  : 

[The.se  met  in  Charleston.] 

H.  Carolina  Chapter  No.  1,    l{.-.    A.-.    M.  •. 

7.  Cohimbia  Chapter  No.  5,    K.  •.    A.  •.    M.  : 

8.  Union  Council  No.  5,    E.  •.    A.  •.    M.  •. 

1>.  Enoch  Lodge  of  Perfection — Ineffable  Degrees. 
10.  DeMolay  Council,  Knights  of  Kadosch — Ineffable  Degrees. 
The  ludepeudcut  Order  of  Odd  Fellow.s  and  other  orders  "Nvere  sufferers 
in  like  degi-eo  with  the  Masonic  liodies.     These  were  : 

1 .  Palmetto  Lodge  No.  5. 

2.  Cougaree  Lodge  No.  29. 

3.  Eutaw  Encampment  Lodge  No.  2. 

4.  Sons  of  Temperance. 

5.  Sons  of  Malta. 

The  buildings,  chambers,  and  lodges  which  contained  the  treasures  of 
these  bodies,  were  tirst  i)luudei*ed  and  then  given  to  the  flames.  The 
soldiers  Avere  to  be  seen  about  the  streets,  dressed  up  in  the  aprons,  scarfs 
and  regalias.  Some  of  the  Federal  Masons  were  active  iu  endeavoring  to 
arrest  the  robbers  in  their  work,  but  without  success.  In  a  conversation 
with  one  of  the  Western  Masons,  he  responded  to  the  signs  and  behaved 
courteously,  but  he  said  :  "We  are  told  that  all  fraternization  with  yoiu" 
Masonic  bodies  of  the  South  has  been  cut  off,  in  consccpieuce  of  your 
Masons  renouncing  all  connection  or  tie  between  them  and  the  Masons  of 
the  North."  AVe  replied  to  him  tliat  the  story  w^as  absurd,  and  evidently 
set  afloat  in  order  to  i^revent  the  Northern  Masons  from  affording  succoi' 
to  a  Southern  brother  in  the  hour  of  his  distress — that  Masonry  overrides 
the  boundaries  of  States,  allows  of  no  political  or  religious  ditlereuces,  and 
that  its  very  nature  and  constitution  are  adverse  to  the  idea  of  any  such 
renunciations  of  the  paramount  duties  of  the  craft,  in  all  countries  and 
under  all  circumstances. 

We  add  a  few  iiarticulars  in  relation  to  some  of  these  lodges,  showing 
the  extent  and  character  of  their  losses.  The  minutes  of  Union  Kilwinn- 
ing Lodge  No.  4,  were  more  than  a  century  old  ;  those  of  Orange  Lodge 
No.  14,  very  near  a  century.  These  are  all  gone,  and  the  loss  is  irremedi- 
able. A  portion  of  the  minutes  of  Eichland  Lodge  No.  39  are  supposed 
t  o  be  safe,  as  they  were  confided  to  the  keeping  of  a  Masonic  Avriter,  with 
a  view  to  the  i^reparation  of  a  history. 

Among  the  items  of  loss,  "which  are  particularly  lamented,  that  of  the 


DESTEUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  45 

famous  sword  of  State,  called  "the  Crounvcll  Sword,"  belonging  to  tie 
Grand  Lodge  of  South  Carolina,  is  particularly  dej^lored.  This  was  an 
antique  of  pecidiar  interest  and  value.  Its  history,  as  given  by  Dalcho, 
may  be  given  here,  as  particularly  calculated  to  gi-atify  the  curious,  as  well 
as  the  Masonic  reader.  It  was  a  large,  elegant  and  curious  two-edged 
weapon,  iu  a  rich  velvet  scabbard,  highly  ornamented  with  Masonic 
emblems,  and  with  tlie  arms  of  the  Grand  Master.  It  had  been  presented 
to  the  Grand  Lodge  Tiy  the  Provincial  Grand  Master,  after  the  installation 
of  the  grand  officers,  was  given  as  a  consecrated  sword,  arul  received  Avith 
reverent  assurances,  to  keep  it  safely,  so  far  as  human  eflfort  could  accord 
safety.  The  weaiiou  had  been  long  in  the  possession  of  the  Grand 
Master's  family,  and  was  said  to  have  once  belonged  to  Oliver  Cromwell,  a 
legend  to  which  some  degree  of  probability  may  be  given,  from  the  fact 
that  the  Pro\nncial  Grand  Master  was  a  descendant  of  Sir  Edward  Leigh, 
who  was  a  member  of  the  Long  Parliament  and  a  Parliamentary  General 
in  the  time  of  the  Protector,  from  whom,  perhaps,  he  received  it. 

The  farther  history  of  this  sword  may  as  well  be  giA^en  here.  Prom  the 
time  of  the  presentation  it  continued  iu  the  possession  of  the  Grand 
Lodge,  and  was  borne  by  the  {^rand  Sword  Bearer,  or  in  loter  times,  the 
Grand  Pursuivant,  in  all  jjublic  processions.  At  lenglli,  at  the  conflagra- 
tion which,  iu  the  year  1838,  destroyed  so  large  a  portion  of  the  city  of 
Charleston,  and  with  other  buildings  the  Masonic  Hall,  the  sword  was,  with 
great  difficulty,  saved  by  brother  Samuel  Seyle,  the  Grand  Tiler,  Avitli  the 
loss  of  the  hilt,  the  scabbard,  and  a  small  i>art  of  the  extremity'  of  the 
Itlade.  In  the  confusion  consequent  on  the  fire,  the  sword  thus  miitilated 
was  mislaid,  and  for  a  long  time  it  Avas  supposed  to  be  lost.  In  1852,  a 
committee  Avas  appointed  by  the  Grand  Lodge  to  make  every  exertion  for 
its  recoA-ery,  and,  at  length,  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1854,  it  Avas  acci- 
dentally found  by  the  Grand  Tiler,  in  an  out-house  on  his  premises,  and 
Avas  by  him  restored  to  the  Grand  Lodge  iu  its  mutilated  condition.  The 
lost  piece  of  the  blade  A\-as  ingeniously  replaced  by  a  cutler  iu  the  city  of 
Charleston,  and  being  sent  to  New  York,  AAas  returned  AAdth  ucav  hilt  and 
velvet  scabbard,  and  Avas  used  iu  its  appropriate  place  during  the  centen- 
nial ceremonies  of  that  year. 

With  such  a  history,  and  blended  Avith  such  tradition  of  its  origin,  we 
need  not  feel  surprised  at  tlic  uuiA'er^al  and  keen  feeling  occasioned  by  its 
lass. 


4&  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIAi .  ■ 


CHAPTER  XXin. 

iyNO:?ffi^  DAY  OF  UQRBORS — WKES   WrLL,   IT  END  ? — THE  BUGLES — BLACKEKED 
WALLS — SYMPATHIZING   SOLDIEKS. 

The  morfling  of  Saturday,  the  IHth  of  February,  opened  still  with. its 
hoiTors  and  terrors,  though  somewhat  diminished  in  their  intensity.  A 
lady  said  to  a  an  officer  at  her  house,  somewhoro  about  4  o"" clock  that 
morning  : 

"In  the  name  of  God,  sir,  when  is  this  work  of  hell  to  be  ended?" 

He  replie<l  :  "You  will  hear  the  bugles  at  sunri.se,  when  a  guard  will 
enter  the  town  and  withdraw  these  troops.  It  will  then  cease,  and  not 
before." 

Sure  enough,  with  the  bugle's  sound,  and  tlie  entrance  of  fresh  bodies  of 
troops,  there  was  an  inst-antanoous  arrest  of  incendiarinm.  Yon  could  see 
the  rioters  carried  off  in  gi'oups  and  scpiads,  from  the  several  precincts 
they  had  ravaged,  and  those  whicli  they  still  meditated  to  de^itroy. 

The  tap  of  the  drum,  the  sound  of  the  signal  cannon,  could  not  have 
been  more  decisive  in  its  effect,  more  prompt  and  complete.  But  two  iires 
wei'e  f:et,  among  private  dwellings,  after  sunrise  ;  and  the  ilames  only  went 
up  from  a  few  places,  Avhore  the  tire  had  been  last  applied  ;  a.ud  these  were 
rapidly  exjiiriug. 

Tlie  best  and  most  beautiful  ])ortion  of  Columbia  lay  in  ruins.  Kever 
was  ntin  more  complete  ;  and  the  sun  rose  \\ith  a  wan  countenance,  peer- 
ing dimly  through  the  dense  vapors  which  seemed  wholly  to  overspread 
the  firmament.  Very  miserable  was  the  sjiectacle.  On  every  side  ruins, 
and  smoking  masses  of  blackened  walls,  and  towers  of  giim,  ghastly  chim- 
neys, and  between,  in  desolate  gi'oups,  reclining  on  noattress,  or  bed,  or 
earth,  were  wretched  women  and  children,  gazing  vacantly  on  the  site  of 
a  once  blessed  abode  of  home  and  innocence. 

Roving  detachments  of  the  soldiers  passed  around  and  among  them. 
There  were  those  who  looked  and  lingered  nigh,  Anth  taunt  and  sarcasm. 
Othei-s  there  were,  in  whom  liumanity  did  not  ae<>m  wholly  extinguished  ; 
and  o'lhers  again,  to  tlieir  credit,  be  it  said,  who  were  truly  sorrowful  and 
sympathizing,  who  had  labored  for  tlu;  safety  of  family  and  pro])erty,  and 
who  openly  deplored  the  dreadful  crime,  which  threatened  the  lives  and 
^lonors  of  the  one,  and  destroyed  so  completely  the  other. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  ^ 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

THE    DESTRUCTION    OF    PUBLIC    BUILDINGS — EXPLOSION    OF    SHELLS — LOSS    OP 
LIFE— THE    STATE    CAPITOL — HEAVY   LOSS   TO    THE   STATE.  ■„; 

But  we  have  no  time  for  description.  The  relentless  fate  Avas  IraiTying 
forward,  and  the  destroyer  had  still  as  large  a  share  of  his  assigned  labOts 
to  execute.  This  day  was  devoted  to  the  destl-uction  of  those  bnildings  of 
a!  pnhlie  character  whidi  had  escaped  the  Avreck  of  the  city  proper. 

The  Saluda  cotton  manufactory,  ihe  property  t)f  Colonel  L.  D.  Childs, 
was  burried  by  the  troops  prior  to  their  entry  of  the  city' and  t>n  their 
approach  to  it,  the  previous  day.  The  several  powder  milla  were 'destroyed 
on  Saturday.  The  Arsenal  buildings  (State  and  Confedetaie)  drt'Sttildaj, 
and  it  is  understood  that  in  the  attempt  to  haul  away  amtiinnition  from  the 
latter  place,  the  Federals  lost  a  large  nunllier  of  men,  from  an  utilodk^d  for 
explosion.  It  is  reported  in  one  case  that  no  less  thnn  forty  men,  with 
their  officers— one  entire  company— were  blown  to  pieces  in  one  precih'ct, 
and  half  as  many  in  another.  But  the  facts  can  never  be  precisely  ascei- 
tained.  The  body  of  a  Federal  captain  lay  on  the  bAhks  of  the  ri-s-erfor 
several  days. 

The  magniHcent  steam  jn-inting'^  estabttsiimeht  of  Evans  &  Cogswell— 
with  the  house  assigned  to  their  engravers,  and  another  house,  stored  with 
stationery  and  book  stock— i)erhaps  the  most  complete  establishment  of 
the  kind  in  the  Southern  States— was  destroyed  on  Saturday.  These  were 
all  private  property,  mostof  it  isolated  in  situation,  and  deliberately  tired. 

So,  the  fearful  progress  of  incendiarism  ebntiriued  throughout  Saturday 
and  Sunday,  nor  did  it  wholly  cease  on  ISIonday.  The  gas  works— Cnio  of 
the  greatest  necessities  of  the  people— was  then  (lelibei'ately  destroyed  ; 
and  it  was  Wth  some  difficulty  that  the  water  works  wer6  saved. 

The  cotton  card  manufactory  of  the  State  ;  the  sword  factory— a  private 
interest;  the  stocldng  manufactory— private  ;. the'  buildings  at  Fair 
Grounds,  adjoining  cemetery ;  the  several  riailway  depdts  ;'  AJexaiiddr's 
foundry ;  the  South  Carolina  Railroad  foundry  and  wdrk  shops  ;  the  Gor- 
ernment  armory,  and  other  buildings  of  greater  or  less  value,  partly 
Government  and  partly  jirivate  property — all  shared  a  common  tate. 

Major  Niernsee,  the  State  Ai-chitect,  was  a  gi-eat  loser,  ifl  hifi  iniiplements 
and  valuable  scientific  and  professional  library. 


48  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 

The  new  Capitol  biiilding,  being  unfinished,  and  not  likely  to  be  finished 
in  many  years — useless,  accordingly  to  us — was  spared — only  suffering 
from  some  petty  assaults  of  malice.  Here  and  there,  a  plinth  fractured  ; 
here  and  there  a  Corinthian  capital.  The  beautiful  pillar  of  Tennessee 
marble  was  thus  injured.  So,  at  great  pains-taking,  the  soldiers  clambered 
ujD  on  ladders  to  reacli  and  cfTace  the  exquisite  scroll  and  ornamental  work 
on  the  face  of  the  building— disfigiiring  the  beautiful  chiseling  which  had 
wrought  out  the  vine  and  acorn  tracery  on  the  several  panels  ;  and  the 
bundles  oi  fasces,  on  the  Northern  part,  were  fractured  or  broken  away  in 
parts. 

The  statue  of  Washington,  in  bronze,  oast  in  1858,  for  the  city  of 
Charleston,  from  Houdon's  original,  in  the  rotunda  at  Richmond,  received 
several  Ijruises  from  .brickbats,  addressed  to  face  and  breast.  A  shell 
scratched  his  back,  and  the  staflf  which  lie  bore  in  his  hand  was  broken  off 
in  the  middle.  But  the  bronze  seems  to  have  defied  destruction  and  may 
be  considered  still  jjerfect. 

The  bust  of  Calhoun,  by  Power.s,  won  totally  destroyed  ;  so,  also,  was 
the  ideal  personification,  by  the  sculptor  Brown,  of  the  Genius  of  Liberty. 
A  large  collection  of  complete  caiiitrJs,  destined  for  the  Capitol,  and 
lying  iu  the  ojDeu  square,  were  destroyed  either  by  the  heat  of  the  con- 
tiguous fire,  or  by  exi^losions  of  gun-powder  introduced  among  them. 
Hereafter,  such  beautiful  j^ieces  of  v.orkuiauship  might  be  kept  more  safely 
and  certainly,  by  being  buried  deeply  in  excavations  of  sand. 

The  iron  Palmetto  tree,  that  ingenious  performance  of  Werner,  of 
Charleston,  dedicated  as  a  monument  to  the  Palmetto  Regiment,  so  re- 
nowned in  the  war  with  Mexico,  suffered  the  loss  of  a  number  of  its  lower 
and  larger  branches  ;  but  these,  we  think,  may  be  restored  at  comi:)aratively 
little  cost.  The  apartment  in  the  base  was  torn  open,  having  been 
wrenched  from  its  fastenings,  but  no  other  mischief  seems  to  have  been 
done  to  it.  It  was  i^robably  spared,  as  commemorating  the  deeds  of  those 
who  had  fought  under  their  own  flag. 

An  officer  connected  with  the  State  Capitol,  furnishes  the  following  par- 
ticulars : 

The  new  State  Capitol  presented  a  ver}'  conspicuous  mark  to  tlu'  cannon 
on  Lexington  heights,  yet  fortunately  sustained  but  little  injury— none, 
indeed,  Avhich  cannot  be  easily  repaired.  Five  shots  struck  the  West  end, 
yet  none  of  them  did  any  serious  damage,  exceijt  ones.  This  shattex'ed  the 
ornimented  sill  and  ballusters  of  oiie  of  the  corridors  of  the  principal 
floor.  Another  shell  injured  a  fluted  column  on  the  centre  projection. 
Two  shots  hit  the  interior  of  the  brick  arch  over  the  Eastern   front  centre 


DESTKUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  49 

window,  and  two  otlier  shots  struck  and  sliglitlj  scaled  off  the  granite 
jamb  division  of  the  treble  centre  window  in  the  Eastern  front. 

"When  in  possession,  the  soldiers  tried  to  deface  and  defile  as  much  as 
they  could.  They  wi-ote  their  names  in  pencil  on  the  marble,  giving  their 
companies  and  regiments,  and  sometimes  coupling  appropriately  foul  com- 
ments with  their  signatures,  thus  addressed  to  posterity.  They  seem  to 
have  found  considerable  sport  in  their  practice,  with  brick-bats,  or  frag- 
ments of  rocks,  as  sharp-shooters ;  and  making  the  fine  bronze  statue  of 
Washington  their  mark,  they  won  various  successes  against  his  face,  breast 
and  leg.s.  Sundry  bruises  and  aln-asions  are  to  be  found  upon  the  head 
and  front,  and  a  part  of  his  cane  has  been  carried  away  among  their  spolia 
opimcu  The  finely  sculptured  oak  leaf  decorations  of  the  marble  door 
pilasters  at  the  main  entrance  door  of  the  principal  floor  over  the  Nortlieru 
front,  as  well  as  the  ornaments  of  the  soffit  of  that  door,  have  W.qw  seri- 
ously defaced.  The  beaks  of  the  eagles,  in  the  panels  above,  and  to  the 
i-ight  and  left  of  that  doorway,  as  also  the  lower  portions  of  i\\o fasces  on 
each  side  of  the  same,  have  been  beaten  out.  The  corner,  or  groin  stones, 
and  basement  cornice  at  the  South-western  corner  of  the  building,  were 
also  damaged  to  some  extent  by  the  fire  from  the  adjacent  old  State  House 
building. 

But  nil  the  injuries  to  the  structure  were  insignificant  in  comjiarison  Avifh 
that  which  was  done  to  the  finished  and  raw  material  M-ithin  the  i)recinct 
— the  WTought  and  rude  marble,  granite,  iron  and  machinery  ;  the  work 
completed  in  these  materials,  and  which  has  been  accumulating  for  the  last 
four  years  in  yard  and  work-shop— in  all  this,  our  loss  has  been  very  great. 
There  were  destroyed  among  these  accumulations  forty  beautifully  sculp- 
tured Corinthian  capitals,  designed  for  the  tv^o  large  i^orticoes  of  the 
edifice,  and  ANTOught  in  our  own  beautiful  native  granite  ;  the  Corinthian 
capitals  wrought  in  Italian  marl)le  for  the  great  marble  hall  and  stair-cases 
on  the  principal  floor  in  the  interior  ;  all  the  pohshed  shafts,  in  Tennessee 
marble,  for  the  latter  ;  and  nearly  all  the  marble  work  and  pavements  for 
the  whole  building  in  Tennessee  and  Italian  marble — together  with  the 
granite  ballustrade  and  railings  surmounting  the  main  building  and  for  the 
surrounding  terrace.  To  tliese,  add  the  destruction  of  hundreds  of  im- 
mense un wrought  blocks  of  granite  and  marble  of  every  description — 
machinery,  tools  ;  the  sculptor's  atelier  and  work-shops,  containing  all  the 
models  and  some  of  the  unfinished  statues  meant  for  the  main  gable  field 
or  tymjianum  of  the  Northern  front ;  the  original  models  of  the  medallion 
portraits  of  Hayne  and  McDuflie,  and  one  of  the  latest  and  best  casts  of 
the  head  of  Calhoun.  But  one  small  storehouse  remains  iminjurcd 
7 


50  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUltfBIA. 

throughout  the  premises,  containing  some  finished  marble -n-ork,  the  mono- 
lith granite  columns  of  the  main  porticoes,  and  some  completed  work  for 
the  main  cornice  of  the  structure.  The  total  pecuniary  loss  to  the  State, 
in  the  damage  thus  done  to  the  new  capitol,  and  to  the  material  desigaed 
for  it,  including  tools,  instruments,  models,  Ac,  can  fall  very  little  short 
of  one  million  of  dollars  in  specie. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

TBEATMENT  OF  THE  KEGEOES — GENERATj  SHEBMAN  AND  THE  DEAD  KEGRO — ^WHO 

CAUSED  THE  WAR. 

Something  should  be  said  in  respect  to  the  manner  in  which  the  negroes 
Avere  treated  by  the  Federals  while  in  Columbia,  and  as  regards  the  influ- 
ences employed  by  which  to  beguile  or  take  them  from  their  owners.  We 
have  already  adverted  to  the  fact  that  there  was  a  vast  difference  between 
the  feelings  and  performances  of  the  men  from  the  West,  and  those  com- 
ing, or  directly  emanating,  from  the  Eastern  States.  The  former  were 
adverse  to  a  connection  with  tliem  ;  but  few  negroes  were  to  be  seen 
among  these,  and  they  were  simply  used  as  drudges,  grooming  horses, 
bearing  Inirdens,  humble  of  demeanor  and  rewarded  with  kicks,  cuffs  and 
cui-ses,  frequently  without  provocation.  They  despised  and  disliked  the 
negro  ;  openly  professed  their  scorn  or  hatred,  declared  their  unwilling- 
ness to  have  them  as  companions  in  arms  or  in  comjiany  at  all. 

Several  instances  have  been  given  us  of  their  modes  of  repelling  the 
association  of  the  negro,  usually  with  blow  of  the  fist,  butt  of  the  musket, 
slash  of  the  sword  or  prick  of  the  bayonet. 

Sherman  himself  looked  on  these  things  indift'erently,  if  we  are  to 
reason  from  a  single  fact  afforded  us  by  Mayor  Goodwyn.  This  gentleman, 
while  walking  with  the  general,  heard  the  report  of  a  gun.  Both  heard  it, 
and  immediately  proceeded  to  the  spot.  There  they  found  a  group  of 
soldiers,  Avitli  a  stalwart  young  negro  fellow  lying  dead  before  them  on  the 
street,  the  body  yet  warm  and  bleeding.  Pushing  it  with  his  feet,  Sher- 
man said,  in  his  quick,  hasty  manner  : 

"  What  does  this  mean,  boys  ?" 

The  reply  was  sufliciently  cool  and  careless.  "The  d — d  black  rascal 
gave  us  his  impudence,  and  we  shot  him." 

"  WeU,  bury  him  at  once  !     Get  him  out  of  sight  !" 


DESTKUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  51 

As  they  passed  on,  one  of  the  party  remarked  : 
"Is  that  the  way,  General,  you  treat  such  a  case  ?" 

"Oh  !"  said  he,  "  we  have  no  time  now  for  courts  martial  and  things  of 
that  sort !" 

A  lady  showed  us  a  coverlet,  with  huge  holes  burned  in  it,  which  she 
said  had  covered  a  sleeping  negro  woman,  when  the  Yankees  threw  their 
torches  into  her  bed,  from  which  she  was  naiTowly  extricated  with  life. 

Of  the  recklessness  of  these  soldiers,  especially  when  sharpened  by 
cupidity,  an  instance  is  given  where  they  thrust  their  bayonets  into  a  bed, 
where  they  fancied  money  to  be  hidden,  between  two  sleeping  children — 
being,  it  is  admitted,  somewhat  careful  not  to  strike  through  the  bodies  of 
the  children. 

The  treatment  of  the  negroes  in  their  houses  was,  in  the  larger  propor- 
tion of  cases,  quite  as  harsh  as  that  which  was  shown  to  the  whites.  They 
were  robbed  in  lilie  manner,  freipiently  stripi^ed  of  every  article  of  cloth- 
ing and  jn-ovisions,  and  where  the  wigwam  was  not  destroyed,  it  was  effec- 
tually gutted.  Few  negroes  having  a  good  hat,  good  jDair  of  shoes,  good 
overcoat,  but  were  incontinently  deprived  of  them,  and  roughly  handled 
when  they  remonstrated.  These  acts,  wc  believe,  were  mostly  ascribed  to 
Western  men.  They  were  repeatedly  heard  to  say  :  "We  are  Western 
men,  and  don't  want  your  d — d  black  faces  among  us." 

When  addressing  the  negi'o,  they  frequently  charged  hiui  with  being  the 
cause  of  the  war.  In  spealdug  to  the  whites  on  this  subject,  especially  to 
South  CaroHnians,  the  cause  was  ascribed  to  them.  In  more  than  one 
instance,  we  Avere  told  : 

"Wearegoiug  to  burn  this  d^d  town.  We've  begun,  and  we'll  go 
through.  This  thing  began  here,  and  we'll  stack  the  houses  and  burn  the 
town." 

A  different  role  was  assigned  to,  or  self-assumed  by,  the  Eastern  men. 
They  hob-a-nobbed  with  the  negi-o,  walked  with  him,  and  smoked  and 
joked  with  him.  Filled  his  ears  with  all  sorts  of  blarney  ;  lured  him,  not 
only  with  hopes  of  freedom,  but  all  manner  of  Uceuse.  They  hovered 
about  the  iDremisos  of  the  citizens,  seeking  all  occasion  to  converse  with 
the  negi'oes.  They  Avould  elude  the  guards,  slip  into  the  kitchens,  if  the 
gates  were  open,  or  climb  over  the  rear  fence  and  converse  with  all  who 
would  listen.  No  doubt  they  succeeded  in  beguiling  many,  since  nothing 
is  more  easy  than  to  seduce,  with  promises  of  prosperity,  ease  and  influ- 
t*nce,  the  laboring  classes  of  any  people,  white  or  black.  To  teach  them 
that  they  are  badly  governed  and  suffering  wrong,  is  the  favorite  method 
of  demagogueism  in  all  countries,  and  is  that  sort  of  influence  Avhich  will 


52  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA. 

always  prevail  with  a  people  at  once  vain,  sensual  and  ignorant.  But,  as 
far  as  we  have  been  able  to  see  and  learn,  a  large  proijortion  of  the  negroes 
were  carried  away  forcibly.  When  the  beguiler  failed  to  seduce,  he 
resorted  to  violence.  "" 

The  soldiers,  in  several  cases  which  have  been  reported  to  us,  pursued 
the  slaves  with  the  tenacity  of  blood-hounds  ;  were  at  their  elbows  when 
they  went  forth,  and  hunted  thorn  up,  at  all  hours,  on  the  premises  of  the 
OAvner.  Very  frequent  arc  the  instances  where  the  negro,  thus  hotly 
pui*sucd,  besought  protection  of  his  master  or  mistress,  sometimes  volun- 
tarily seeking  a  hiding  place  along  the  swamps  of  the  river ;  at  other 
times,  finding  it  under  the  bed  of  the  owner  ;  and  not  leaving  these  places 
of  refuge  till  long  after  the  trooiis  had  departed. 

For  fully  a  mouth  after  they  had  gone,  the  negi-oes,  singly  or  in  squads, 
were  daily  making  their  way  back  to  Columbia,  having  escaped  from  the 
Federals  In'  dint  of  gi-eat  perseverance  and  cunning,  generally  in  wi-etched 
l)light,  half-starved  and  with  little  clothing.  They  represented  the  difli- 
ciilties  in  the  Avay  of  their  escape  to  be  very  great,  the  officers  placing 
them  finally  under  guards  at  night,  and  that  they  could  only  succeed  in 
flight  at  the  peril  of  life  or  limb.  Many  of  these  were  negroes  of  Colum- 
bia, but  the  larger  pro2:)ortion  seemed  to  hail  from  Barnwell.  They  all 
sought  passports  to  return  to  their  owners  and  jjlantations. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE   AD.TACRNT    COUNTKY — HOUSES,    MULES,    ETC.,    CABRIED    OFF   OK  KILIiED — 
VEHICLES   DESTKOYED — RAPE — TOKTUlUi. 

We  should  not  overlook  the  riivagc  and  destruction  in  the  immediate 
precincts  of  the  city,  though  beyond  its  corporate  boundaries.  Within  a 
few  miles  of  Columbia,  from  two  to  five  miles,  it  was  gu-dled  by  beautiful 
country  seats,  such  as  those  of  the  Hampton  family — Millwood — a  jilacc 
famous  of  yore  for  its  chai-m  and  elegance  of  society,  its  frank  ho-spitaUty 
and  the  lavish  bounty  of  its  successive  hosts.  The  destruction  of  this 
family  seat  of  opulence,  and  grace,  and  hospitality,  will  occasion  sensation 
in  Euroi)ean  countries,  no  less  than  in  our  own,  among  those  who  have 
enjoyed  its  grateful  privileges,  as  guests,  in  better  days. 

The  beautiful  couutiy  seats  of  Mr.  Secretary  Trenholm,  of  Dr.  John 
Wallace,  Mrs.  Thomas  Stark,  Colonel  Thomas  Taylor,  Captain  James  U. 


DESTEUCTION  OE  COLUMBIA.  53 

Adams,  Mr.  C.  P.  Pelbam,  (Mill  Creek,)  as  well  as  homestead— aud  many 
more — all  shared  the  fate  of  Millwood — all  were  robbed  and  ruined,  then 
given  to  the  flames  ;  aud  from  these  places  were  carried  off  all  horses, 
mules,  cattle,  hogs  and  stock  of  eveiy  sort ;  and  the  pro%-isions  not  carried 
off,  were  destroyed. 

In  many  cases,  where  mules  and  horses  were  not  choice,  they  were  shot 
down.  But  this  was  the  common  history.  On  all  the  farms  and  planta- 
tions, and  along  the  road  sides  cverrwhere,  for  many  a  mde,  horses,  mules 
and  cattle,  strew  the  face  of  the  country.  Young  colts,  however  line  the 
stock,  had  their  throats  cut.  One  informant  tells  us  that  in  one  pile  he 
counted  forty  slain  mules  on  the  banks  of  the  Saluda.  Every  vehicle 
which  could  not  be  carried  away  was  destroyed. 

But  there  were  barbarities  rejiorted  in  the  more  isolated  farm  settle- 
ments and  country  houses.  Horrid  narratives  of  rape  are  given  which  we 
dare  not  attempt  to  individualize. 

Individuals  suspected  of  having  concealed  largo  sums  of  money,  were 
hung  ui>  reijeatedly,  until,  almost  in  the  agonies  of  death  and  to  escajDe 
tht\  tortiu'C,  they  confessed  where  the  deposit  had  been  made. 

A  German  baker  had  a  rope  put  round  his  neck,  and  was  hftuled  up 
several  times  ;  until,  through  fear  of  death,  he  confessed  that  he  had 
specie  around  his  person  and  in  a  trunk. 

A  famdy  of  the  name  of  Fox,  of  Lexington,  were  treated  with  e.si^ecial 
cruelty.  The  head  of  the  family  Avas  hung  up  thrice  by  the  neck  till 
nearly  dead,  when  he  yielded  nine  thousand  dollars  in  specie. 

Mr.  Meetze,  of  the  same  District,  is  reported  to  have  been  robbed  in 
like  manner  and  by  the  same  process  ;  and  one  poor  idiot — a  crazy  crea- 
ture, mistaken  for  another  party,  was  subjected,  till  nearly  dead,  to  the 
same  treatment. 

This  mode  of  torture,  fro;n  what  we  can  learn,  was  freipientiy  resorted 
to.  Other  parties  were  whipped  ;  others  buffeted  or  knocked  down,  and, 
indeed,  every  form  of  brutality  seems  to  have  been  put  in  practice,  when- 
ever cupidity  was  sharpened  into  rage  by  denial  or  disappointment. 

But  we  sicken  at  the  farther  recital  of  those  cruelties. 


54  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUAIBIA. 


CHAPTER  XXVn. 


CONCIjTJSION. 


The  reader  will  have  seen  that  we  have  brought  to  a  close  our  narrative 
of  the  most  consi)iciious  eveuts,  iu  the  "cai)tnre,  sack,  and  buruiug  of 
the  city  of  Columbia."  We  have  beeu  at  great  plains  to  make  the  state- 
ments ample,  and  to  Justify  them  by  refex'cnee  to  the  best  authorities  and 
witnesses  to  be  found.  We  believe  that  the  facts  are  substantially  com- 
plete, and  so,  true  in  all  respects.  The  incidents  given  are  selected  as 
typical  of  large  groujis  of  facts,  representative  anecdotes,  uniform  in  their 
variety,  and  quite  too  numerous  for  separate  consideration.  But  the  very 
uniformity,  amidst  such  a  numerous  collection,  is  in  confirmation  of  the 
general  authenticity  of  the  Avhole  ;  and  we  repeat  the  conviction  that  the 
narrative  is  wholly  true  withal,  and  to  be  relied  on  as  a  history. 

We  have  seen,  Avith  surprise,  some  attempts,  in  sundry  quarters,  to 
account  for  the  destruction  of  Columbia  by  ascribing  it  to  accident,  to  the 
drunkenness  of  straggling  parties,  to  our  negroes,  and,  indeed,  to  any  but 
the  proper  cause.  It  is  evidently  the  design  of  these  writers,  without 
inquiring  into  the  onotives  by  which  they  were  governed,  to  relieve  General 
Sherman  and  his  army  from  the  imputation.  If  it  could  be  shown  that 
one-half  of  the  army  Avere  not  actually  engaged  in  firing  the  houses  iu 
twenty  places  at  once,  while  the  othpr  half  were  not  quiet  spectators,  indif- 
ferently looking  on,  there  might  l)e  some  shrewdness  in  this  suggestion. 
If  it  c-ould  be  shown  that  the  whiskey  found  its  M'ay  out  of  stores  and 
cellars,  grappled  with  the  soldiers  and  poured  itself  down  their  throats, 
then  they  are  relieved  of  the  responsibility.  If  it  can  be  proved  that  the 
negroes  were  not  terrified  by  the  presence  of  these  soldiers,  iu  such  lai'ge 
numbers,  and  did  not,  (as  they  almost  invariably  did)  on  the  night  of  the 
tire,  skulk  away  into  their  cabins,  lying  quite  low,  and  keeping  as  dark  as 
possible,  we  might  listen  to  this  suggestion,  and  perhaps  admit  its  plausi- 
bility. But  why  did  the  soldiers  prevent  tlie  liremen  from  extinguishing 
the  fire  as  they  strove  to  do  V  NVhy  did  they  cut  the  hose  as  soon  as  it 
was  brought  into  the  streets  ?  Why  did  they  not  assist  iu  extinguishing 
the  flames  ?  Why,  with  twenty  thousand  men  encamped  iu  the  streets, 
did  they  suffer  tlie  stragglers  to  succeed  in  a  work  of  such  extent  ?     Why 


DESTEUCTION  OF  COLUiMBM.  55 

did  they  suffer  the  meu  to  break  into  the  stores  and  drink  the  liquor 
wherever  it  was  found  ?  And  what  shall  we  say  to  the  universal  plunder- 
ing, which  was  a  part  of  the  object  attained  through  the  means  of  fire  ? 
T\Tiy,  above  all,  did  they,  with  their  guards  massed  at  every  corner,  suffer 
the  negi'oes  to  do  this  work  ?  These  questions  answered,  it  will  be  seen 
that  all  these  suggestions  af-e  sheer  nonsense.  To  give  them  plausibility, 
we  have  been  told,  among  other  mis-statements,  that  General  Sherman 
himself  was  burned  out  of  his  own  selected  quarters,  no  less  than  four 
times.  This  is  simply  ridiculous.  He  was  burned  out  in  no  single 
instance.  None  of  his  generals  was  burned  out.  The  houses  chosen  for 
their  abodes,  were  carefully  selected,  and  the  fire  was  kept  from  approach- 
ing them  in  any  single  instance. 

But  we  have  pursued  our  narrative  very  imperfectly,  if  our  array  of  facts 
be  not  such  as  conclusively  to  show  that  the  destruction  of  the  city  was  a 
deUberately  designed  thing,  inflexibly  fixed  from  the  beginning,  and  its 
fate  sufficiently  well  known  to  be  conceived  and  comprehended  by  all  the 
army. 

Long  before  the  army  left  Savannah,  a  lady  inquired  of  one  of  the  Fed- 
eral Generals  in  that  city,  whither  she  should  retire — mentioning  her 
preference  of  Columbia.  His  reply  was  significant.  "  Go  any  where  but 
to  Columbia."  We  have  stated  the  conference  between  the  Lady  Superior 
of  the  Ursuhne  Convent,  and  a  certain  Major  of  the  Federals,  who  origin- 
ally belonged  to  the  press  gang  of  Detroit.  He  warned  her  at  11  o'clock 
of  Friday,  "that  she  would  need  all  the  guard  he  had  brought,  as  Columbia 
was  a  doomed  cUi/. '" 

A  lady  in  one  of  our  upper  districts,  expressing  sm'prise  at  the  treatment 
of  Columbia  in  this  nineteenth,  or  boasted  century  of  civilization,  was 
answered  :  ' '  South  Carolina  has  been  long  since  the  i^romised  boon  of 
Sherman's  army." 

Masonic  brethren  told  others  in  the  city  that  an  order  had  been  issued 
to  the  troops  before  they  crossed  the  river,  giving  them  license  to  sack, 
plunder  and  destroy  for  the  space  of  thirty-six  hours,  and  that  Columbia 
was  destined  to  destmction.  A  sick  Federal  soldier,  who  had  been  fed, 
nursed  and  kindly  treated  by  a  city  lady,  told  her,  on  Friday  morning, 
that  the  place  would  be  destroyed  that  night.  The  simultaneous  breaking 
out  of  the  fires,  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  and  in  tlie  suburbs  in  twenty 
places  besides,  should  conclude  aU  doubt. 

1.  Enough  that  Sherman's  army  was  under  perfect  discipline.  They 
were,  as  an  army,  completely  in  the  hands  of  the  officers.  Never  was  dis- 
cipline more  complete — never  authority  more  absolute. 


( 

I 


56  DESTRUCTION  OF  COLU]\IBL\. 

2.  That  the  fire  was  permitted,  whether  set  by  drunken  stragglers  or 
negroes,  to  go  on,  and  Sherman's  soldiers  prevented,  liy  their  active  op- 
position, efforts  of  the  firemen,  while  thousands  looked  on  in  perfect 
serenity,  seeming  totally  indiflerent  to  the  event. 

3.  That  soldiers,  quite  sober,  wore  seen  in  hundreds  of  cases  busUy 
engaged  in  setting  fire,  well  iirovided  with  all  the  implements  and  agencies. 

4.  That  they  treated  with  -Nnolence  the  citizens  who  strove  to  arrest  the 
flames. 

5.  Tliat  when  entreated  and  exhorted  by  citizens  to  arrest  the  incendia- 
ries and  prevent  the  catastroi)he,  at  the  very  outset,  the  officers,  in  many 
cases,  treated  the  applicants  cavalierly,  and  gave  no  heed  to  their  appli- 
cation. 

G.  That,  duriug  the  raging  of  the  flames,  the  act  was  justified  by  a 
reference  to  the  course  of  South  C!aroliua  in  originating  the  secession 
movement. 

7.  That  the  general  officei-s  themselves  held  aloof  until  near  the  close  of 
the  scene  and  of  the  night.  That  General  Sherman  know  what  was  going 
on,  3'et  kept  aloof  and  made  no  effort  to  arrest  it,  until  daylight  on  Satur- 
day, ought,  of  itself,  to  be  conclusive. 

8.  That,  with  his  army  under  such  admirable  discipline,  he  could  have 
arrested  it  at  any  moment ;  and  that  he  did  arrest  it,  when  it  pleased  him 
to  do  so,  even  at  the  raising  of  a  finger,  at  the  tap  of  a  dram,  at  the  blast 
of  a  single  trumi^et. 

But,  what  need  of  these  and  a  thousand  other  suggestive  reasons,  to 
establish  a  charge  which  might  be  assumed  from  a  survey  of  Sherman's 
general  progi-ess,  from  the  moment  when  he  entered  South  Carolina  ? 
The  march  of  his  army  was  a  continued  flame — the  tread  of  his  horse  was 
devastation.  On  what  plea  Avas  the  jjicturesque  village  of  Barnwell  de- 
stroA-cd  '?  AVe  had  no  army  there  for  its  defence  ;  no  issue  of  strength  in 
its  neighborhood  had  excited  the  jmssions  of  the  combatants.  Yet  it  was 
plundered — eveiy  house — and  nearly  all  burned  to  the  gTonnd  ;  and  this, 
too,  where  the  town  was  occupied  by  women  and  children  only.  So,  too, 
the  fate  of  Blaclrville,  Graham,  Bamberg,  Buford's  Bridge,  Lexington, 
i'c. ,  all  hamlets  of  most  modest  character,  where  no  resistance  was  offered — 
where  no  fighting  took  place — where  there  was  no  provocation  of  liquor 
even,  and  where  the  only  exercise  of  heroism  was  at  the  expense  of  Avomen, 
infancy  and  feebleness.  Such,  too,  was  the  fate  of  every  farm-house — of 
six  in  seven,  at  least.  Surely,  when  such  was  the  fate  and  treatment  in 
all  cases,  there  need  be  no  effort  now  to  show  that  an  exception  Avas  to  be 
made  in  favor  of  the  State  cajjital,  Avhcre  the  offences  charged  upon  South 


DESTRUCTION  OF  COLUMBIA.  57 

Carolina  bad  been  necessarily  of  the  rankest  character  ;  and,  when  they 
had  passed  Columbia — greatly  bemoaning  the  cruel  fate  which,  under 
stragglers  and  whiskey-drinkers  and  negi'oes,  had  brought  her  to  ruin — 
what  were  the  oflfences  of  the  villages  of  AUston,  Pomaria,  Winnsboro, 
Blackstock,  Society  Hill,  and  the  towns  of  Camden  and  Cheraw  ?  Thus 
weeping  over  .the  cruelty  which  so  unhappily  destroyed  Columbia,  was  it 
that  she  should  enjoy  fellows^hip  iu  vroe  arid  ashes,  that  they  gave  all  these 
towns  and  villages  to  the  flames,  and  laid  waste  all  the  plantations  and 
farms  between  ?  But  enough.  If  the  conscience  of  any  man  be  suflicieutly 
flexible  on  this  subject  to  coerce  his  understanding  even  into  a  momentary 
doubt,  all  argument  will  be  wasted  on  him. 

Our  task  has  ended.  Our  narrative  is  di-awn  Ijy  an  eye-witness  of  much 
of  this  terrible  drama,  and  of  many  of  the  scenes  which  it  includes,  but 
the  chief  part  has  been  drawn  irom  the  li^dug  mouths  of  a  cloud  of  wit- 
nesses, male  and  female,  the  best  people  in  Columbia. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  owners  and  occupants,  of  the  hoiises  de- 
stroyed : 


"^ 


A  LIST  OF  THE  PlIOPEIiTV  DESTROYED. 


RICH.UIDSON  (OR  MAIN)  STREET. 

COTTON  TOWX — WEST  STPK. 

"William  Price.     "Warelioiise  filled  with  cotton. 
W.  McAlister  and  R.  Keenau,  Jr.     Dwelling. 
James  Catheart.     Store  and  warehouse  filled  with  cotton. 
R.  O'Neale.     Two  warehouses  filled  with  cotton. 
P.  P.  Chambers.     ^Yarehouse  filled  with  cotton. 
Mrs.  J.  J.  Kinsler.     Dwelling. 

Mrs.  Law.  Store  and  warehouse  containing  provisions  belonging  to 
Dr.  A.  W.  Kennedy. 

EAST  SIDE. 

James  Crawford.     Dwelling. 

R.  O'Neale.     Store  and  warehouse  containiiig  a  quantity  of  cotton. 

J.  R.  Kennedy.     Dwelling. 

L.  D.  Childs.     Dwelling  and  out-houses. 

The  houses  of  A.  Civil  and  James  Tarrar  saved. 

UPPEB  TO  LUMBER — WEST  SIDE. 

Mrs.  Kirk.     Store,  dwelling,  &c.,  occupied  by  Mrs.  Cartwright. 

Estate  James  A.  Kennedy.  Storehouse  containing  Government  pro- 
visions. 

Estate  James  A.  Kennedy.  Dwelling  o(H»u])ic'd  by  A.  Boney,  M.  P. 
Brennan  and  others. 

P.  H.  Flanigan.     Store  and  dwelling  occupied  by  J.  Milroy. 

G.  B.  Nunamaker.     Store,  dwelling,  cotton  house,  &c. 

A.  Crawford.     Cotton  warehouse. 

A,  Crawford.     Dwelling  occupied  by  Mrs.  J.  Jacobs  and  C.  Agaew. 


PBOPEETY  DESTEOYED.  59 

EAST  SIDE. 

Kraft,  Goldsmith  &  Kraft.     Sword  Faetoiy. 
Henry  Hunt.     Dwelling. 

Mrs.  P.  Patterson.     Dwelling  occupied  by  Dr.  I.  D.  Durham. 
at.  Mary's  College.     Government  stores,  etc. 

E.  Lewis.     Store  and  dwelling  occuj)ied  by  E.   Caldwell  and  Govern- 
ment goods.  •  ct  • 
William  Lyles.     Store  and  dwelliti^J  ^'-'"'                               'T -?,  -^af-'r:?! 

'  liXJMBEK  TO  RIOHJjAND — WEST   SIDE. 

William  Heuuies.     Store  and  warehouse  used  as  cooper's  sho})  and  Gov 
ernment  storehouse. 

William  Henuies.     Dwelling  occupied  by  owner,  store  filled  with  Gov- 
ernment goods. 

H.  Hess.     Store  and  dwelling. 

H.  Hess.     Store  filled  -with  furniture. 

Grieshaber  &  Wolfe.     Two  stores  and  dwelling. 

Dr.  T.  J.  Eoach.     Dwelling  occupied  by  JMolIeuhauer. 

M.  McElrone.     Dwelling. 

EAST   SIDE. 

John  Judge  &  Co.     Stocking  Factory. 

A.  Eiley.     Store  and  dwelling. 

A.  Edey.     Dwelling  occupied  by . 


W.  McGuinnis.     Store  and  dwelling. 

A.  Eiley.      Store  and  dwelling  occupied  by  P.  Piukerson. 
The  dwelling  owned  by  A.  Eiley  and  occupied  Ijy  Mr.  Huchet  was  not 
burnt. 

KICHLAND  TO  liAUKEL WEST  SIDE. 

Estate  John  Beard.  DweUing^  occupied  by  S.  Mathew.s — ^^storq  .used  by 
State  Commissary.  ,r,,,,-i".  \    <<    'i  >    m 

Mi-s.  J.  Blankenstein.     Store  and  dwelling  uccupied  hy  John  Mason. 

Mrs.  J.  Blankenstein.  Store  and  dwelling  occupied  In'  M.  Tliomer  nnd 
others. 

M.  O'Connell.     Store  and  dwelling. 

A.  J.  Barnes.     Store  and  dwelling  occupied  by  M,  Thompson. 

W.  W.  Purse.     Store  and  dwelling. 

E.  Lewis.     Store  occupied  by  J.  E^;aser  tt  Co. 

E.  Lewis.     Vacant  store. 

R.  Le-wis.     Store  used  for  Government  stores. ...- 


60  PEOPEBXX  DESXKOyKP. 

EAST  srpE. 

Bishop  Lynch.     Dwellings  occupied-by Ponsignou  and  otiiers. 

John  McCully.     Dwelling — store  occupied  by  F.  D.  Fanning, 

H.  C.  Franck.     Dwelling. 

Mrs.  Law.     Dwelling — store  us^d.  as  Opyeniment  wareliouse. 

liAUKfiL  TO  BtAHDlSO— W«ST  SiBfi. 

Keatinge  <fe  BaJl.     Engraving  and  LitbograpUing  establishment. 

Estate  C.  Beck.     Dwelling  occupied  by  Mathew  Davis  and  others. 

Dr.  F.  Marks.     Store  occupied- by  > -^,  diR-sUingsby  F!  Marks,  J.  A. 

Patton  and  others. 

Estate  John  J.  Kinsler.  Dwelling  occupied  by  Joseph  Sampson  and 
others — store  by  A.  Jones. 

Estate  John  J.  Kinsler.     Store  occupied  by  H.  Reckling. 

Da\-id  Jacobs.     Dwelling. 

M.  Comerford.     Store  and  dwelling  occupied  by  Ii,!iKaufnian. 

M.  Comerford.     Store  and  dwelling. 

EAST   SIDE. 

Boyne  &  Sprowl.     Stone  Yard. 

Estate  C.  Beck.  Store  occupied  by  J.  C.  Kenneth — dwelling  by  N. 
Thompson  and  others. 

James  Brown.     Government  stores. 

Thomas  Boyne.     Dwelling. 

C.  Norman.     Store  occupied  by  Mrs.;  Hertwigi 

C.  Norman.     Store  occupied  by  Ji  Mendah 

C.  Norman,     Dwelling  occupied  by  J.  Mendal. 

E.  Stenhouse.     Store  and  dwelling. 

E.  Hope.     Store  occupied  by  H.  Hunt — dwelling  by  W.  Phelps. 

E.  Hope.     Store  occupied  by  A.  Miles. 

E.  Hope.     Store  and  dwelling  occupied  by  E.  Hunt. 

E.  it  G.  D.  Hope.  Store — sleeping  rooms  occupied  by  PlSb'hwavfcz,  A-: 
K(Epper  and  bthei's. 

IJLANDIKG  TO  TAYLOR  OR  CiMDEN — WEST   SIDE. 

R.  Bryce.     Store  occupied  by  Mutual  Supply  Association. 

R.  Bryce.     Store  occupied  by  Mi's.  DuRoss. 

R.  Bryce.     Dwelling  occupied  by  Mrs.  D.  C.  Speck  as  a  boarding  hou.sc. 

M.  Ehrlich.     Shoe  store  and  dwelling. 

M.  Ehrlich,     Store  occupied  by  W.  Stieglitz. 


PROPERTY  DESTROYED.  % 

John  Seeg^Ts.     Store  occupied  by  J.  Bahlmau. 
John  Seegers.     Store  occui^ied  by  Miss  K.  Frank. 
Bruns  &  Eilhardt.     Shoe  stoye  and  dwelling. 
John  ^"wls.     Store  occupied  by  John-  S.  Due. 
John  Eawls.     Barber's  shop  occupied  by  C.  Carroll. 

John  Bawls,     Stor.e  occupied  by . 

John  Bawls.     Store  occupied  by  P.  Pape. 

W.  T.  "Walter.     Store  occupied  by  Mrs.  Zemow,  dwelling  by . 

W.  T.  Waltei'.     Express  Company,  unclaimed  freight. 
W.  T.  Walter.     Dwelling,  unoccupied. 
W.  T.  Wajter.     Store  occupied  by  L.  Blum. 
Estate  J.  J.  Kiusler.     Store  occupied  by  L.  C.  Clarke. 
Estate  J.  J.  Ivinslejf.     Store  occupied  by  Sill  &  SiU. 
Estate  J.  J.  Kinsler.     Booms  in  second  story,  used  by  Evans  &  Cogswell 
as  lithographic  office,  tlxird  story,  as  .Treasury.  Note  Bureau.  i 

EAST   SIDE. 

Bishop.  Lynch.     Ursuline  Convent  and  Academy. 

Bishop  Lynch.     Store  occupied  by  A.  Traeger. 

Bishop  Lynch.     Store  occupied  by  J.  Blank. 

S.  Pearse.     Besidence. 

S.  Pearse.     Store  occupied  by. F.  A.  Jacobs. 

S.  Pearse.     Store  occupied  by  P.  G.  McGregor, 

H.  N.  McGowan.     Store  pccupied  by  V.  Heidt. 

H.  N.  McGowan.     Store  occupied  by  Miss  Evans. 

H.  N.  McGowan.     Dwelling  occiipied  by  W.  K.  Sessford. 

Fisher  &:  Heiuitsli.  -  Store. 

Fisher  &  Heinitslj.     Dwelling;Occupied  by  E.  Egg. 

S.  Gardner,     Store  and  rasidence. 

S.  Gai-dner.     Store  occupied  by — . 

S.  Peai'se.     Store — dwelling  occupied  by  J.  Barry. 

S.  Pearse.     House  occupied  by  colored  families. 

H.  Henrichsou.     Store. 

S.  Gardner.     Store  occupietl  by  J.  J.  Browne  and  W.  Ashton. 

S.  Gardner.     Dwelling  occupied  by  J.  Burnside. 

S.  Gfll'4flei'.     Exchange  Bank. 

BliANDING  TO  PLAIN — WEST  SIDE. 

Cwpimercial  Bank.     Dwelling  occupied  by  H.  E.  Scott. 
(3pmmercial  Bank.     Store  occupied  by  Farmers  &  Exchange  Bank. 


62  PROPERTY  DESTROYED. 

Thomas  Davis.  Store  occupied  by  M.  H.  Berry  and  J.  J.  Cohen,  dwell- 
iug  liy  —  Adams. 

Thomas  Davis.     Store  and  dwelling  occupied  by  A.  Reckling. 

Henry  Davis.  Store  occupied  by  Silcox,  Bro.  &  Co.,  dwelling  by  George 
Smith. 

Henry  Davis.  Store  occupied  by  Hopson  &  Sutphen,  rooms  abore  as 
War  Tax  Office. 

Honry  Da^^s.     Store  occupied  by  T.  k  R.  Flanigan. 

Henrj'  Davis.  Store  occupied  by  J.  S.  Bird  fc  Co.,  second  floor  as 
Zealy's  daguerrean  rooms. 

Henrj-  Davis.  Store  occupied  by  Madame  A.  Fillette,  residence  by  Dr. 
Solomons. 

Henry  Davis.     Store  occupied  by  R.  Swaffield  and  P.  Wineman  &  Co. 

Heni-y  Davis.     Bank  of  Charleston. 

R.  C.  Anderson.     Store  occuiiied  by  D.  Goldstein. 

R.  C.  Anderson.     Store. 

R.  C-  Anderson.     South-western  Railroad  Bank. 

R.  C.  Anderson.  Transportation  office,  second  story  as  Government 
offices. 

EAST   SIDE. 

Southern  Ex^jress  Company's  Office,  second  and  third  floors  occupied 
by  Madame  Rutjes  as  a  boarding  house. 

Southern  Express  Company.     Store  occupied  by  John  Veal. 

Estate  C.  Beck.     Store  occupied  by  Mrs.  D.  Jacobs. 

Estate  C.  Beck.  Residence  and  store  occupied  by  Mrs.  M.  S.  Coopev, 
Miss  M.  L  Poindexter,  J.  W.  Gaither  and  family,  and  others. 

Isaac  Cohen.     Store  occupied  by  T.  J.  Moise  and  F.  C.  Jacobs. 

Isaac  Cohen.     Store  and  residence  occupied  by  John  McKenzie. 

G.  V.  AntweriJ.  Store  occujjied  by  W.  M.  &  J.  C.  Martin,  People's 
Bank  and  Reynolds  &  Reynolds,  residence  of  Dr.  Wm.  L.  Reynolds. 

G.  V.  Antwerp.  Store  occupied  by  Dr.  P.  M.  Cohen,  G.  Diercks,  and 
George  Bruns. 

Charles  Black.  Store  occuijied  by  W.  S.  Harral  and  J.  Marsh,  rcsideuco 
by  J.  Chrietzberg. 

Dr.  M.  M.  Sams.  Store  occupied  by  J.  B.  Duval  &  Son,  residence  of 
William  Watson. 

Dr.  M.  M.  Sams.  Store  occupied  ]jy  J.  F.  Eisenmau  tt  Co. ,  residenc© 
by  G.  V.  AntweriJ. 


PROPERTY  DESTROYED.  63 

Thomas  Davis.  Store  occupied  by  John  Heise,  second  aud  third  floors 
by  J.  N.  Roach  aud  J.  Richard. 

Thomas  Davis.     Store  by  Mrs.  S.  A.  Smith,  rooms  by  I.  C.  Morgan. 

Thomas  Davis.  Store  occupied  by  R.  Henuiug,  residence  by  Misses 
Saunders. 

Dr.  C.  "WeUs.  Store  occupied  by  Townsend  i%  North,  residence  by  J.  B. 
Duval  and  W.  Lalloo. 

Dr.  C.  WeUs.     Union  Bank. 

PIAIN  TO  WASHINGTON — "WEST   SIDE. 

C  A.  Bedel.     Store,  residence  by  Dr.  D.  P.  Gregg. 

C.  A.  Bedel.     Store  occupied  by  Central  Association. 

J.  0.  Walker.     Residence  and  store  occupied  by  Dr.  John  Ingalls. 

J.  C.  Walker.  Store  occupied  by  H.  C.  &  H.  E.  Nichols,  residence  hy 
A.  Feininger. 

.T.  C.  Wallcer.     Store  occupied  by  P.  B.  Glass. 

J.  C.  Walker.  Store  occupied  by  J.  C.  Walker  and  Durham  it  Mason, 
Confederate  Baptist,  second  and  third  stories  by  Dr.  Danelly,  Sov.thei-n  Guar- 
dian, Masonic  Hall,  J.  B.  Irving,  J.  McGown.  - '.■    •      > 

J.  C.  Walker.  Buildings  on  the  alley  occuijied  by  (lum-dian  Printing 
Office,  E.  R.  Stokes'  Book  Bindery,  Commissary  stoi-es. 

W.  B.  Stanley.  Store,  rooms  occupied  by  Confederate  Treasurer,  Quar- 
termaster's Office,  Commandant  of  Conscripts,  Treasury  Note  Bureau 
Bingham's  Dancing  School. 

Bank  of  the  State.     Bank  and  Branch. 

Independent  Fire  Company.     Engine  House. 

City  of  Columbia.     Guard  House. 

City  of  Columbia.     Market  and  City  Hall. 

EAST    SIDE. 

Dr.  R.  W.  Gibbes  and  J.  S.  Guignard.  Store  occupied  by  Fisher  & 
Aguew  <Sr  Co. 

Gibbes  and  Guignard.  Rooms  occupied  by  Mrs.  N.  Scott,  R.  Wearn's 
daguerrean  gallery. 

Gibbes  and  Guignard.  Store  occupied  by  A.  C.  Squier. 

Gibbes  and  Guignard.  Store  occupied  by  A.  Falk. 

Gibbes  and  Guignard.  Store  occupied  by  M.  A.  Shelton. 

Gibbes  and  Guignard.  Store  occupied  by  C.  F.  Jackson,  residence  by 
Elias  Polock. 


m  PROPERTY  DESTROYED. 

Gibbes  and  Gniguai'd.  Stere  occupied  by  P.-  W.  Krftft,  and  Krftft,  Oold- 
smith  &  Kraft. 

Gibbes  and  Gtiignai'd.     Store  occnpied  br  W.  W.  Walker. 
GibbcB  and  Gnignard.     Store  oeoupiod  by  Commandant  of  Prisoners. 
Gibbos  and  (ruignurd.     Store  occnj)ied  by  J.  G.  Gibbes. 
C!ommi«Hioner  Public  Buildings.     Court  Honsc. 

WA.SHINOTON    TO    LADY — U-E8T-  SIDE. 

R.  !Mayrant.     Residence  and  store  occupied  by  L.  Shodair. 

R.  Mayrant.     Store,  etc.,  occupied  by  C.  P.  Remson. 

R.  ^layraut.     Store  occupied  by  Cooper  k  Gaither. 

R.  Mayrant.     Store  occupied  by  C.  D.  Eberhardt. 

J.  Stork.     Store,  house  dn  rear  occupied  by.  Provost  iMai-ahal. 

Henry  Davis.    -Store,  etc.,  occujued  by  H.Harane.s. 

Henry  Davis.     Store  occupied  by  J.  it  A.  Oliver. 

().  Z.  Bates.  Store  occupied  by; T.-Stenhousey  bouse  in  rear l)y*T>.'Ke!lly 
and  others. 

C.  Yolger.     Store  occupied  by  L.  Hawley,' residence  .by-MadBme\Volgei'. 

C.  Volger.     Store  occupied  by  Treasury  Department. 

J.  C.  Jauney.     Store  occupied  by  G.  Stadtler. 

J.  C.  Janney. ,   Store  occupied  by  A.  Feininger. 

Janney  &  Leaphart.  Congaree  Hotel,  rooms  in  basement  oeoupied  by 
James  R.  Heisc  and  Reese's  barber  shop. 

EAST   SIDE, 

Estate  C.  Beck.     Store  occupied  l)y  J.  C.  Dial. 
Estate  C.  Beck.     P.  L.  Valory,  hthographic;  office. 
Estate  C.  Beck.     Commissary  stores. 

Estate  J.  S.  Boat-\mght.     Store  occupied  by  Dr.  C.  H.  Miot. 
Estate  J.  S.  Boat^mght.     Paymaster's  Office. 

G.  V.  AntweriJ.     Store  occupied  by  J.   N.  Feaster  and  J.    C.    Norris, 
Naval  Agent. 
G.  V.  Antwerp.     Residence  occupied  hy  S.  Kingman. 
G.  V.  Antwerp.     Planter's  and  Mechanic's  Bank. 
L.  Carr.     Bank  of  South  Carolina. 
L.  Carr.     Rooms  occupied  by  D.  Wadlow  and  others. 
Southern  Express  Company.     Store  occupied  by  Joseph  Walker. 
Southern  Express  Company.     Store  occupied  by  D.  P.  McDonald. 
Southern  Express  Company.     Rooms  occupied  by  P.  Walsh  and  others. 
Dr.  M.  LaBorde.     Store  occupied  by  L.  T.  Levin. 


PROPERTY  DESTROYED.  '^5 

Dr.  M.  LaBorde.     Medical  Purveyor's  Office. 

G.  S.  Bower.  Store  occupied  by  Bee  Compain^  houses  in  rear  by  O.  S. 
Bower. 

W.  &  J.  Sliiell.     Store  occupied  by  F.  Huft'mau. 
W.  &  J.  Shiell.     Store  occupied  by  W.  Sheplierd. 
W.  &  J.  Shiell.     Scott's  barber  shop. 
W.  &  J.  Shiell.     Store  occupied  by  H.  k  S.  Beard. 
W.  &  J.  Shiell.     Residence  occupied  by  J.  Shiell. 

LADY   TO    GERVAIS   OR   BRIDGE — WEST   SIDE. 

Mrs.  E.  Bailey.     Store  occupied  by  J.  G.  Forbes. 

Mrs.  E.  Bailey.     Residence  by . 

Mrs.  E.  Bailey.     Store  occupied  by  J.  K.  Friday. 

Mrs.  E.  Bailey.     Store  occupied  by  Wm.  Moore. 

James  Hayes.     Residence  and  store. 

Henry  Davis.     Store  occupied  by . 

Henry  Da^is.     Store  occupied  by  P.  W.  Kraft. 

W.  McGuinnis.  Store  and  residence  occupied  by  E.  Beraghi  and  D. 
McGuinnis. 

W.  McGuinnis.     Re.sideuce  and  store  by  C.  Brill. 

W.  McGuinnis.  Store  occupied  by  Mrs.  P.  Ferguson,  i-esidence  byMrf, 
C.  McKenna. 

James  McKenna.     Store,  etc. 

Jacob  Lyons.     Commissary  stores. 

Jacob  Lyons.     Store  occupied  by  A.  L.  Solomons. 

Jacob  Lyons.     Store  occupied  by  Muller  &  Senn. 

Jacob  Lyons.     Residence  occuiiied  by  R.  D.  Senn. 

EAST   STDE. 

T.  S.  Nickerson.     Nickerson's  Hotel. 

T.  S.  Nickerson.     Barber  shop  by  Wm.  Inglis. 

T.  S.  Nickerson.     Residence  occupied  by 


H.  C.  Franck.     Store  occupied  by  Franck  «fe  Wickenberg. 

T.  S.  Nickerson.     Store  occupied  by  John  Fanning. 

T.  S.  Nickerson.     Commissary  State  Troops. 

T.  S.  Nickerson.     State  Ordnance  Stores. 

Estate  R.  Russell.     Store  occupied  by  N.  Winnstock. 

Estate  R.  Russell.     Commissary  stores. 

Estate  B.  Reilly.     Residence  and  store  occupied  by  H.  Simons. 

Estate  B.  Reilly.     Store  occupied  by . 

9 


66  PROPERTY  DESTROYED. 

Estate  B.  Reilly.     Store  occupied  by  P.  Fogarty. 
Estate  B.  Rc-illy.     Store  occupied  by  P.  Cfiutwcll. 

GERVALS   TO   SENATE. 

Capitol  Grouiuls.     .Aj-chitoct's  Office,  etc. 

Capitol  Grounds.     Sheds  contaiuiug  marble  aud  granite  pillars,  cornices, 
machinery,  etc. 
Old  Capitol. 

SENATE   TO   PENDLETON — W'EST    SIDE. 

Mrs.  E.  J.  Huutt.     Residence,  etc. 

EAST   SIDE. 

Keeper  Capitol.     Residence  occupied  by  T.  Starlc. 

PENDLETON   TO   MEDIIM. 

A.  Palmer.     Residence,  etc. 
Joseph  Green  (colored).     Residence. 

WHEAT   TO   BLOSSOM. 

Mrs.  B.  Roberts.     Residence. 

Mrs.  B.  Roberts.     Two  cottages  occupied  by . 


SUMTER. 

ITPPER   TO   RICHLAND — WEST   SIDE. 

W.  McAlister.     Blacksmith  slioii  occupied  liy  Kraft,  Goldsnuth  A-  Kraft. 

Mrs.  Beebe.     Residence. 

R.  Wearn.     Residence  occnpied  by  M.  Hislop. 

R.  Wearn.     Residence  occupied  by  —  Boag. 

M.  A.  Shelton.     Residence  occupied  by  G.  W.  Logan. 

RICHLAND   TO   LAUREL — WEST   SIDE. 

P.  M.  Johnston.     Residence  occujjied  by  A.  T.  Cavis. 
J.  Oliver.     Residence  occupied  by  John  Janes. 
Mrs.  E.  Law.     Residence  occupied  by  H.  Reckling. 

EAST    SIDE. 

P.  G.  McGregor.     Residence. 
P.  L.  Valory.     Residence. 
D.  B.  Miller.     Residence. 
J.  F.  Eisenman.     Residence. 


PKOPEKTY  DESTROYED.  67 

LAUREL   TO    BLAND1NC4 — WEST   SIDE. 

E.state  C.  Beck.     Residence  occupied  by -. 

B.  Bailey.     Residence  occupied  by  Rev.  B.  M.  Palmer. 

B.  Bailey.     Government  stables. 

EAST   SIDE. 

C.  A.  Barnes.     Residence. 
Presbyterian  Lecture  Room. 
A.  J.  Green.     Stables,  etc. 

BLANDlNtf   TO    I'ENDLETON. 

Mrs.  J.  Bryce.     Houses  occupied  by  colored  families. 

Mrs.  S.  Miu'phy.     Dwelling,  etc. 

Dr.  R.  W.  Gibbes,  Jr.     Dwelling. 

Old  Baptist  Church. 

Mrs.  J.  Friedeburg.     Residence,  etc. 

S.  Waddel.     Residence. 

G.  S.  Bower.     Residence,  etc. 

W.  F.  DeSaussure.     Residence. 

A.  0.  Squier.     Residence. 

Estate  J.  S.  Boatwright.     Residence. 

J.  H.  Stelliug.     Residence,  mill,  etc. 

J.  H.  SteUing.     Residence  occujjied  by  J.  Roach  and  J.  Richard. 

Mrs.  C.  Neuffer.     Residence,  etc. 

F.  W.  Green.     Residence  occupied  by  Miss  H.  Bulkley. 

F.  W.  Green.     Residence  occupied  by . 

W.  B.  Broom.     Residence  occupied  by  C.  C.  Trumbo. 

UPPER. 

State  Agricultural  Society.     Buildings  occupied  by  Medical  Purveyor. 

LUMBER. 

BICHAKDSON  TO   SUMTER. 

John  McCay.     Grist  mill. 

W.  Riley.     Residence  occupied  by  employees  of  Judge's  sock  factory, 

W,  Thackam,     Dwelling,  etc. 

SUMTER  TO   MAHION. 

14.  Wearn.     Residence  occupied  by  T.  W.  Coogler. 

J.  SecgeJS.     Residence  occupied  by  A.  C.  Jacobs. 

Estate  Miss  S.  Ward,     Residence  occupied  by  Mrs.  Simons. 


68:n  PROPERTY  DESTROYED. 

GERVAIS  STREET. 

GISI  TO  PUIABKI. 

C'.  C.  McPhail.     Goverumeut  Armory. 
Evans  &  Cog.swel].     Printing  Establishment. 

PtTLASKI  TO    UXCOLN. 

Green%*illo  Railroad  Comiiany.     Office,  Dcjiots,  Arc. 
South  Carolina  Railroad.     Depots,  office,  Avarchouses,  kc. 
Blakely,  Williams  &  Co.     Store  and  warehouse^. 
Blakel}^  Williams  iV  Co.     Commissary  stores. 
Estate  T.  Frean.     Store,  &c.,  occupied  l)y  M.  Brown. 
Estate  T.  Frean.     Store  occupied  l)y  O'Nealc  &  Crawford. 
James  Claflfey.     Residence,  <.tc. 

LINCOLN    TO  GATES. 

Estate  B.  Reilly.     Residence  occupied  by  negroes. 
Mrs.  Bailey.     Residence. 
R.  O'Neale.     Residence  occupied  by  negroes. 
Mrs.  Bailey.     Residence  occupied  by  Mrs.  Harris. 

Residence  occujncd  Ijy  Mrs.  Walker. 

Mrs.  A.  Haight.     Mary  Jones. 

Sarah  CaUioun.     Residence. 

J.  Taylor.     Residence  occujned  by  Julia  McKean. 

Mrs.  E.  Glaze.     Residence,  &c. 

ASSEMBLY  TO  SUMTEK. 

D.  Hane.     Residence  occupied  by  a  colored  woman. 
Estate  B.  Reilly.     DweUing,  &c. 
T.  S.  Nickerson.     Dwelling. 
Mayor  GoodAvyn.     Dwelling. 

SUMTEK  TO  MAMOK. 

F.  W.  Green.     Office  occupied  by  WiUiam  Patterson. 
F.  W.  Green.     Residence,  itc. 

J.  S.  Guignard.     Residence  occupied  by  Chancellor  CarroD  and  General 
Lovell. 

Lecture  Room  of  Trinity  Church. 

MABION  TO  BULL. 

Mrs.  B.  E.  Levy.     Residence  occupied  by  W.  R.  Tabcr  and  others. 


PROPEBTY  DESTROYED.  6i) 

RICHLAND. 

GADSDEN   TO   LINCOLN. 

State  Arsenal  aud  Academy. 

RICHAKDSON  TO  SUMTEK. 

Mrs.  H.  Gill.     Residence,  <fec. 

SrMTEK  TO  MARION. 

William  Fetuer.     Residence,  ito. 
Jolm  Judge.     Residence. 
Lutheran  Clnirch. 
James  Beard.     Residence,  .fcc. 

BULL  TO  PICKENS. 

Thomas  H.  Wade,     Carpenter-shop. 

GIST. 
GoTernment  Powder  Works  partially  destroyed. 

ASSEMBLY. 

lUCHLAND  TO  LAtlREL. 

William  Elkins.     Residence. 

H.  Hess.     Residence  occuijied  by  T.  B.  Clarkson,  Jr. 

James  Kenneth.     Residence,  <tc. 

Mrs.  S.  C.  Rhett.     Residence  occupied  by  Major  R.  Rhett. 

PLAIN  TO  WASHINGTON. 

J.  C.  Walker.     Residence  occupied  by  T.  Fillette. 

Estate  J.  D.  Kinman.     Residence  occujiied  by  Major  Jamison. 

Synagogue. 

J.  T.  Zealy.     Residence,  &c. 

WASHINGTON  TO  LADV. 

John  Stork.    Residence,  &c. 
J.  P.  Southern.     Residence. 

John  Stork.     Residence  occupied  by . 

J.  C.  Janey.     Livery  Stables. 

LADY  TO  GERVAIS. 

J.  H.  Bald'vs'in.     Houses  occupied  by  colored  families. 


70  PROPERTY  DESTROYED. 

LAUREL. 

BETWEEN  RICHARDSON  AND  SCMTEK — :r<OKTH  .SIDE. 

H.  F.  aiul  H.  C.  Nichols.     DweUing. 

SOUTH    SIDE. 

Eatute  C  Boc-k.     Miichiue  Shoj),  ocoupio<l  liy  H.  liioolvi-, 

BETWEEN  SUMTER  AND  M.VlUON^NORTU  SIDE. 

Dr.  H.  R.  Edmonds.     DwoUiug. 
S.  S.  McCuUy.     Dwelling. 

Estate  E.  B.  Hort.     Dwelling  occupied  by . 

Mrs.  Holmes.     Dwelling  occupied  by  Martin  it  Co. 

Mrs.  Holmes.     Dwelling  occupied  by  ]\Irs.  Fenli^y  and  others. 

SOUTH   SIDE. 

Mrs.  Quigley.     Dwelling  occuined  by  T.  A.  Jackson. 

Thomas  Davis.     Dwelling  occujjied  by  Thomas  Davis  anil  C.    Marshall. 

UET\\  EEN  MAIUON  AND  BULIj — SOUTH  SIDE. 

Benjamin  Evans.     Dwelling. 

BULIi  TO  nCKENS — SOUTH  SIDE. 

Jacob  Bell.     Residence  occupied  by  Joseph  Manigaiilt. 

Estate  C.  Beck.     Residence  occupied  by  Mrs.  C.  Beck  and  R.  Anderson. 

NOIJTH    SIDE. 

N.  R;imsa3\     Dwelling  occupied  l)y  W.  J.  Laval. 

RICHARDSON  TO  ASSEMBIiY — NORTH   SIDE, 

G.  W.  Wright.     Blacksmith  Shop. 

R.  Lewis.     Rooms  occupied  l»y  Dr.  A.  W.  Keun<dy. 

R.  Lewis.     Rooms  occupied  by  Dr.  Kennedy,  R.  Lewis,  and  others. 

SOUTH    SIDE. 

Keatinge  <.t  Ball.     Stables. 

OATES  TO  LINCOLN NORTH  SIDE. 

(ilaze  \'  Shield's   Foundry. 

BLANDING. 

ASSEMBLY  TO  JttCILUtDSON— SOUTH   SIDE. 

R.  Jirycc.     Warehouses. 


PROPERTY  DESTROYED.  71 

NORTH    SIDE. 

M.  Comerfonl.     AVarelioiise,  etc. 

BICHARDSON   TO   SUMTEP. 

Palmetto  Engine  House. 

Mrs.  Ann  Marshall.     Dwelling. 

Mrs.  Ann  Marshall.     Dwelling  occupied  by  G.  M.  Johnson. 

B.  Mordecai.     Dwelling  occupied  by  F.  G.  DeFontaiue,  Dr.  Baker  and 
others. 

SUMTER  TO   MARION — NORTH  SIDE. 

Dr.  A.  J.  Green.     Dwelling  occupied  by  Mrs.  Dr.  Ross, 

Mrs.  Z.  P.  Herndou.     Dwelling  occupied  by  Mrs.  B.  Mordecai. 

SOUTH   SIDE. 

Mrs.  John  Bryce.     Dwelling. 

C.  A.  Bedell.     Dwelling. 
E.  H.  Heiuitsh.     Dwelling. 

MARION    TO    BULL — NORTH   blDE. 

James  L.  Clark.     Residence,  etc. 
T.  B.  Clarkson.     Residence. 

SOUTH    SIDE. 

Christ  (Episcopal)  Church. 

Mrs.  K.  Brevard.     Residence  occupied  by  W.  E.  Martin. 

BULL   TO   PICKENS — NORTH    SIDE. 

C.  R.  Bi*yce.     Dwelling  occuj)ied  by  Mrs.  McKay. 
C.  R.  Bryce.     Dwelling  occupied  by  Harris  Simons. 
Estate  C'.  Beck.     Dwelling  occupied  by  James  P.  Adams. 

JJARNW-ELL   TO   WTNTs' — SOUTH   SIDE. 

Mrs.  H.  English.     Dwelling  occupied  by  S.  G.  Henry. 

NORTH   SIDE. 

The  Charlotte  Railroad  passenger  and  freight  depots,  work-shops,  round 
house,  etc.,  together  with  several  ?nginos  and  numerous  ears,  were 
destroyed  ;  also,  a  quantity  of  printing  and  other  material  on  the  i)lat- 
forms.  The  dwelling  house  on  the  premises  of  the  company,  used  as  a 
boarding  house  for  the  employees,  was  not  burnt. 


72  PROPERTY  DESTROYED. 

TAYLOR  (OR  CAMDEN). 

BETWEEN    HAKDEN    AND    LATTBENS. 

E.  J.  Arthur.     Rcsideuce,  etc. 

BETWEEN   BT'LL   AVD    ^fARIdN — SOfTH    SIDE. 

W.  Van  Wart.     Dwelling, 
j     J.  L.  Beard.     Dwelling  oc'eiii)ie(l  by  H.  G.  Guerry. 
E.state  C.  Beck.     Dwelling  occnpied  by  T.  W.  Mordecai. 

B.  J.  Knight.     Dwelling  occupied  by  D.  P.  McDonald. 

C.  Coogler  and  Miss  C.  Daniels.     Dwelling  occupied  by  Miss  Daniels, 
Levin  and  others. 

NOBTH    SIDE. 

Estate  of  Mrs.  Logan.     Dwelling  occupied  by  F.  A.  Mood. 

Mrs.  Fowle.     Dwelling. 

Samuel  WaddeU.     Dwelling. 

Mrs.  O.  M.  Roberts.     DwelUng  occupied  by  S.  N.  Hart. 

BETWEEN   MAKION    AND   SrSITER — SOT'TH    SIDE. 

Estate  B.  Reilly.     House  occupied  by  colored  family. 

Mrs.  J.  Ra-\vls.     Dwelling  occupied  by  H.  D.  Corbett. 

Moses  Lilienthal.     Dwelling. 

Samuel  Beard.     Dwelling. 

Benjamin  Rawls.     Dwelling  occupied  by  Mrs.  Brightmau. 

Mrs.  P.  B.  Smith.     Dwelling  occupied  by  H.  Schroeder  and  R.  Duryea. 

Estate  B.  Reilly.     Dwelling  occupied  by  H.  Orchard. 

NORTH   SIDE. 

William  Walter.     Dwelling  occupied  by  John  Lance. 
J.  H.  Carli.sle.     Dwelling  occnpied  by  Rev.  Jacobs. 
J.  H.  Carlisle.     School  room  occupied  by  F.  W.  Pape. 
^\.  W.  Walker.     DwelUng. 
A.  G.  Goodwin.     Dwelling. 

BETWEEN   SUMTER   AND    RICHARDSON— SOUTH    SIDE. 

John  Rawls.     Dwelling. 

John  Rawls.     Dwelling  occupied  by  T.  D.  Sill. 

William  H.  Dial.     Dwelling. 


PROPERTY  DESTROYED.  73 


XORTH    SIOE. 


John  Veal.     Dwelling. 

W.  B.  Stanley.     Dwelling  occupied  by  Josej)!!  Marks. 

S.  Gardner.     Dwollirtg  occujjied  by  L.  Simons. 

S.  Gardner.     Office  occupied  by  Dr.  Davega. 

H.  Henrichson.     Dwelling. 

S.  Gardner.     Telegrapli  Office. 

BETWEEN  RICHARD.SON  AND. AS.SEMBI.Y — NORTH  SIDE. 

A.   R.    Phillips.     Dwelling   occupied  by  Dr.  M.  Greenland,  Mrs.  John 
Marshall,  Mrs.  M.  Whilden,  Mrs.  P.  J.  Slangier. 

SOX'TH    SIDE. 

Commercial  Bank.  Office  occupied  by  A.  R.  Phillips. 

Commercial  Bank.  Office  occupied  by  Ladies*  Industrial  Society. 

Commercial  Bank.  Warehouse,  stables,  &c.,  used  by  A.  R.  Phillips  an<i 
others. 

SENATE. 

ASSEMBLY  TO    SUMTER. 

Wi  R.  Huntt.     Residence  occupied  by  James  H.  Wells  and  W,  B-  Huntt. 

Mrs.  E.  J.  Huntt.     Residence  occupied  by  — . 

Trinity  Parsonage.     Rev.  P.  J.  Shand. 

Sl'MTER  TO   MARION. 

M.L.Brown.     Residence  occupied  by . 


M.U?ION  TO  BULL. 

J.  S.  Guignard.     Carpenter-shoi>s,  <frc. 

PLAIN. 

BULL  TO  MARION— SOTTTH  SIDE. 

John  H.  Heise.  Dwelling. 

John  H.  Heise.  Dwelling  occupied  by  M.  H.  Nathan. 

John  H,  Heise.  Dwelling  occupied  by  C  F.  Harrison. 

John  H.  Heise.  Dwelling  occupied  by  Mrs.  G.  M,  Coffin, 

NORTH   SIDE.    '    '     "-•*(•*'* •^■- 

James  K.  Friday.     Dwelling. 

Dr,  J.  McF.  Gaston.     Dwelling  oc<*upied  by  David  Marks. 
10 


74  PROPERTY  DESTROYED. 

Dr.  J.  McF.  Gastou.     Unuccupied  office . 

L.  W.  Jennings.     Dwelling. 

Rev.  T.  E.  Wannamaker.     Dwelling. 

William  Hitchcock.     Dwelling  oecupivil  by  J.  E.  Dent. 

M.UUON  to  SrJITER — XOBTH  SIDF. 

Dr.  D.  H.  Trozovant.     Onicc  and  residt^nce. 

Dr.  R.  "\V.  Gibljes,  Sr.     Oflicc  filled  wtli  furniture. 

Dr.  E.  AV.  Gibbe.s,  Sr.     DAvelbng. 

.SOITH   SIDE. 

James  G.  Gilibes.     Residence  occnpied  by  Dr  Boozer. 

SUMTEK  TO  KIC'H.VRDSOX — SOtrrH  SIDE. 

H.  Mullor.     Residenc«\ 

Dr.  J.  W.  PowgH.     Oflice  occuined  by  Dr.  Templeton. 

Dr.  J.  W.  Powell.     Residence  occujiied  by . 

Gibbes  <fe  Guignard.     Wareliousc  occupied  by  Fislier  A;  Agnew. 

NOETH    SIDE. 

Dr.  Samuel  Fair.  Residem*6  and  ofliee. 

Dr.  Samnel  Fair.  Residence  occupied  by  Joseph  D.  Pope. 

Dr.  Samuel  Fair.  Residence  occurpivd  by  IVfiss  M.  Pcrciva). 

Dr.  Samuel  Fair.  Residence  occupied  by  A.  Laughlin. 

Dr.  Samuel  Fair.  Residence  occupied  by  Dr.  E.  Sill. 

Dr.  Samuel  Fair.  Residence  occupied  by  James  Tupper. 

Dr.  Samuel  Fair.  Office  occupietl  by  Dr.  Watkins. 

C.  H.  Wells.     Government  office  occupied  by  Major  Radclifte. 

lUCHAltDSON  TO  ASSEMBLY. 

R.  C.  Anderson.     Odd  Fellows'  HalL 

J.  B.  Glass.     Residence  and  Post  Office. 

C.  A.  Bedell.     Store  occupied  by  James  Smith. 

LADY, 

llAWON  lO  SUMTB&. 

Estate  I.  D.  Mdwlciittf.     BeaSa^tfcfe-,  Stc.. 
Mrs.  J.  S.  Boatwright.     Stables,  &o. 

BICHAKDSON  TO  SUMXBB. 

^J.  H.  SteUing.     M^,  *<?• 


PROPEBTY  DESTROYED.  75 

John  Shiell.  Residence  occupied  by  W.  F.  Farley. 

Jolm  Shiell.  Residence  occupied  by  J.  W.  and  N.  Daniels, 

John  Shiell.  Stables,  &c. 

John  Shiell.  Haiiy  Nutting's  Bakery, 

ASSBMBLT  TO  RICHARDSON, 

J.  C.  Januey.     Stobli??,  &c^ 
J.  H.  BaldwiD.     R^sidenc^, 

LINCOLX. 
E.  P.  Stoke.o.     Dwelling  and  Kitchen . 

HENDERSON. 

RICHLAND   TO  liAVREI. 

William  H.  Tor.     Residence. 

PENDLETON. 

SUJITER  to  MABION. 

M.  Brennau.     Residence  occupied  by  Mrs.  Ferguson. 
WASHINGTON. 

PICKENS    TO    BULL. 

S.  Muldrow.     Residence. 
C  P.  Pelhanj.     Residence. 

BULIi  TO  MARION — NORTH  SID^. 

D.  P.  Kelly.     Residence. 

Methodist  Parsonage.     Rer.  W.  G.  Connor. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Churcb. 

SOUTH  stde. 
Mi-s.  G.  M.  Tlioinpson,     Residence. 
Mrs,  G.  M.  Thompson.     Residence  occupied  by  ilegroee. 
M,  A.  Shelton.     Residence. 

MARION   TO  SUMTKB. 

Pr.  A,  N.  Talley.     Residence  occupied  by  Mrs.  A.  H.  PeLeon. 

Dr.  A,  N.  TaUey.     Office  occupied  by  L.  B.  Hanks. 

B.  Jm  Bryan.     Residence. 

Pr,  J,  H.  Boatwright.     Residence. 


76  PROPERTY  DESTROYED. 

SUMTEK  TO  RICHAKDSON. 

Mrs.  Kenuerly.     Residence. 

John  Bauskct.     Resitleuce  occupied  by  J.  N.Feaster. 

Jolin  Bamket.     Office  occupied  by  J.  Bauskct  and  S.  B.  Black. 

Law  Range.     Office  occupied  by  Enrolling  Officer. 

Law  Range.     Office  occupied  by  J.  D.  Tradewell. 

Law  Range.     Office  occupied  by  F.  W.  McMastcr, 

Law  Range.     Office  occupied  by  W.  F.  Dt^au.?sure. 

Law  Range.     Office  occupied  by  E.  J.  Arthur. 

Law  Range.     Office  occupied  by  Bacbman  A:  Watics. 

Brennen  &  Carroll.     Carriage  "Warehouse. 

J.  G.  Gibbes.     Government  Warehouse. 

J.  D.  Batemen.     Residence. 

F.  G.  DeFontaine  &  Co.     South  Carol hdan  Office. 

Estate  C.  Beck.     Warehouse  occupied  by  John  Dial ;  rooms  above^used 
as  Government  Offices. 

BICHAKDSON  TO  ASSEMBLY. 

The  District  Jail. 

P.  F.  Frazee.     Residence  occujjied  by  Mrs.  G.  Crane. 
P.  F.  Frazee.     Carriage  Rei^ositm-y. 

P.  F.  Frazee.     Office  occupied  by  F.  Lance,  Dr.  Anderson. 
P.  F.  Frazee.     Residence  occupied  hj  D.  C.  Peixotto. 
R.  MajTrant.     Residence  occupied  l)y  Mrs.  H.  Gladden. 
R.  Mayrant.     Residence  occuijied  by  J.  Dobbin. 
V  R.  Mayrant.     Stables. 

G.  G.  Newton.     Paint  Shop. 

G.  G.  Newton.     Residence  occupied  by  W.  Williams. 

MARION. 

Residence  occupied  by  Clarissa  May,  (colored). 

House  occupied  by  colored  jjeople. 

C.  H.  Pritchard.     Residence. 

Lecture  Room  Washington  Street  Church. 

Andrew  Crawford.     Residence,  <frc. 

J.  C.  Lyons,     Residence,  &c.  ' 

,_  BULL. 

George  Huggins.     Residence.  .- 


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